


The outlaws way

by easnuppa



Series: The outlaws way. [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Western, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 11:13:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 31,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13006590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/easnuppa/pseuds/easnuppa
Summary: This is a twd western story, no zombies.I only own my original characters.The story is in 2 parts.Hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading.Comments is apretiated.





	1. Chapter 1

Lissy pulled on the colar on her dress and then she whiped her forhead under her bonny with the back of her hand "Lissybeth, a lady never pulls on her dress, you are old enough to know that now" her mother hissed from the row of urbs next to where she sat, picking weeds out of the urbbeds. "A lady dosent lay in the dirt picking weeds either" she grumbled back at her mother, something that was stupid, she knew that, the well known gasp came as expected "how dare you talk back to your own mother like that" her mother said trying to fill her lungs with enough air to not faint in the heat, "your daddy will have this ranch up and running in no time, dont you doubt that missy." Lissy shared her parants enthusiasem for moving from new york out into the west to try and start a ranch, she didnt miss the stuck up lifestile they used to live, out here it was wild, and she was free, the only thing that buged her was her mothers constantly nagging about how a proper young lady should act. No one could judge them out here, they where one houer ride from the nearest small town, it was only her, her parants and her twin brothers who lived here, since her daddy had not found any good cowboys to help herd their lifestock. She actually loved to digg her fingers into the sandy dirt, she loved that she didnt have to wear a corcet or that she had to sit still and sip tea every afternoon and listen to gossip. She loved the fact that she wherent being judged every time she turned her head or opened her mouth. She bit back her comment and kept pulling up the weeds, the waft of the urbs filled her nostrils and she sighed in blissfullness. "Lissybeth, comeˋere" her daddy shouted from the porch of the house, she got up and dusted off her skirts before she walked with light steps over to her father. "Yes daddy, what do you need?" He pulled out a piece of paper from his west pocket and handed it to her "i need you to ride into town and make a telegram for me, and also buy some more seeds and order more timber, i have it all written down, you just hand this to to the clerk and he will take care of it, tell him to put it on my account" Lissy nodded and gave her daddy a big smile, her daddy understood her eventuras nature, that was one of meny things they had in common. "Offcourse daddy" she said and walked over to the stable to get her horse ready, a beautiful white mare.   
As she guided the horse out of the stables she heard her mother panicky voice ring out " Oscar, you cant be serious, you are not sending her into town by her self, my little girl" Lissy could see her daddy rolling her eyes "And what might i ask is the problem with that? She knows the way, she is only going to the postal office, she will be back in roughly three houers, i think you will survive without her for three houers Margareth" This was not the first time Oscar had this discussion with his wife Margareth. Margareth always questioned her husbands desitions. Margareth had always been the worrying kind, while Oscar was more of a risk taker. " But what if she rides right into a ambush of savages? or worse, what if that notorious Dixon gang get their dirty claws on her?" Lissy watched as her daddy pulled her mother into a embrace to stager her hysteria. "Oh Margareth, you where always so dramatic, she will be fine, she have learned how to use weapons, she knows her way into town, and people there knows her well, they know us well, they know shes a proper girl who comes from a good family, they will protect her, dont you worry your pretty little head about that my love". She guided her horse over to her parants and as she adjusted her self in the sadle, her father reached her the letter and the list of the things he needed " do you have your colt?" Lissy just nodded and smiled down to her daddy, who gave her a wink "good girl, be home in time for supper" she once again nodded and then she pressed her heals into her mares flanks and in a dust dirt she took off, she could hear her mothers gasp and coughing and laughed to her self.  
As she rode into to the little town she was met with a couple of greetings and smily faces, her daddy was right, her family was well known in the small town, and all respected their name. She dismounted her mare and left it at the towns stable and gave the stable boy a coin to water her and take care of her. She walked first over to the postel office, but the door was locked, She scrunshed her brows and peeked inside, she even nocked on the window, but no one answered. She shruged her sholders and thought she where gonna give the shop clerk her list first, maybe she had better luck there. It was just over the street. She pushed the on the door and the little bell over the door rang out, the clerk came out from the back room with a wide smile "good afternoon miss Lissybeth, what might i do for you on such a sunny day?" he said and Lissy made her way up to the counter, smiling back to the clerk "good afternoon mr. Blake, my daddy have some limber he needs to order" She handed him her daddys list, and he looked it over and nodded "You can tell your daddy that i will have this in about a months time, if the telegraphist pulls through" his voice was low and Lissy could spot the gloomy undertone . "Oh, is he sick? " she asked innocently, her voice light as always, the clerk nodded and he brushed his fingers over his mustache "yes, he came down with some kind of a flue four days ago, the sherrife deputy rode over to the nearest town to get a hold of a doctor" Lissy put her hand on her chest "oh my, that is most unfortunate, my daddy wanted to send a telegram, oh i really hope the poor man pulls through and that there isnt anything bad" The clerk nodded, Lissy could see how the old man was itching to gossip about the mans illness, people where alike all over, didnt matter if they came from small towns or big city, they always loved to gossip. Lissy had to bite her lip to not roll her eyes at the man. "Maybe i could write the telegram into a letter and leave it here with you, maybe you could pass it over if he gets better?" The clerks eyes flickered and she could see he was trying to come up with a good excuse not to, so she slid a coin over the counter " i am sure my daddy would apretiate it sir" The clerks eyes beemed up as he grabed the coin from the counter and stuffed it into his westpocked, greedy bastard she thought to her self "Offcourse i will take care of it, dont you worry miss, and send greetings to your ma and pa from me" Lissy smiled her sweetest smile as she walked over to the door, stopping infront of a jar of licorice, she pulled out two pieces "oh, please put this on daddys account, he said i could treat my self" The clerk gave her a sickening wide grin as he continued to rub his mustache between his thumb and pointer, she knew he would add two extra pieces of licorice to their tab. She sliped a piece of the sweet candy over her lips and sighed when the sweet taste exploded on her tonge, so good she thought. She walked outside and looked up at the sky, it was still early afternoone, her stomach was growling, she knew her daddy wouldnt mind if she got something to eat over at the in.   
By the time she had finished eating, some dilicious freshly baked rolls with butter and jam, she paid and whent out into the dusty streets. The sky was covered with dark clouds and the wind had cought up, as she walked into the stables she found her horse, but the sadle was removed and the stable boy was brushing the withe mare "shes not ready?" she questioned and cocked her brow as she looked over at the stableboy "im sorry miss lissybeth, but you should rent a room at the in, a nasty storm is heading out way, and i cant let you go out there until its passed" Lissy sighed, this was deffently not going as planed, her mother would go stir crazy if she didnt returned the same day, but then again, she could not control the weather. She turned and whent back to the in and rented a room for the night. 

Lissy woke up with the first light, she yawned and streatched before she pulled on her dress, once again extreamly happy she didnt have to wear those idiotic corsets, getting dressed alone was no problem now, she enjoyed to be selfdepended, she had not once missed her maid. She looked her self up and down in the big mirror in her room and sighed, she grabed the hairbrush that was placed next to the mirror, she pulled it through the knots in her wavey pale blond hair, when she couldnt feel anymore knots she braided her hair loosly, she knew she should tie the braid up under her bonny, but she hated to tie her hair up, if it was up to her she would let it hang losely down her back, but it wasnt proper for a young lady. She brushed her slender hands over the wrinkled skirt on her dress, trying to straighten it out alittle, but to no use, she would most deffenetly get her ears full when she returned home to the ranch, she could only imagine the level of hysteria her mother had reached by now. Her thoughts whent to her daddy and brothers, poor poor souls, she better get a move on before their ears started to bleed.   
She talked with the respetionist and he agreed to put the room on her daddys tab. She made her way over to the stable and got her horse ready before she mounted it and took off. The town was nice and she enjoyed coming there once in a while, but after a few houers around the gossip loving people who always where sucking up to her parants she was worn out. She rather spend her time out on the ranch breaking in the horses her brothers brought in.

As she reached the last hill that overlooked the ranch she stoped and took a breather, she let her light gray orbs glide over the peacefull landscape, the view was always so beautifull from up here, she could see for miles, but suddenly she realized something was very wrong, her stomach turned, she couldnt spot any activity at the ranch, it was eary quiet, she couldnt spot any of the lifestock or any of her family members. She pressed the heals to the horses flanks and drove her beloved mare into full speed down the hill, the dust was twirling behind her. She came to an abrupt stop infront of the house, the doors where wide open, but not a sound, she jumped off her mare and tied her to the fence. Her knees felt shakey as she called out for her ma and pa, but no answer. She pushed the door open as she slowly walked into the small house. The chairs around the dining table where scattered, one was broken, she bent over and picked up one of the chairs when the metallic smell of blood reached her nose, on shaking legs she walked further into the house where she spotted her daddy sitting compleatly still in his chair infront of the fireplace "daddy?" she whispered, still no answer so she rounded the chair and the sight of her daddy sitting in his chair, his body limp, his lips blue and a bullet hole right between his eyes made her eyes tear up, she whimpered and pushed the back of her hand against her lips, the tears now falling freely down her cheeks, she turned, she had to find the others, she pushed her self to walk into her parants bedroom, she slowly pushed the curtains seperating their bedroom from the kitchen aside and peaked inside, there her mother was laying across the bed, her eyes wide open and a terrefied look in her eyes, her nightgown teared open from the colar and all the way down, she walked closer and then she saw all the blood, her mothers throat was cut and it looked like she was left to bleed out on the bed, she colapsed at her mothers feet, her hands clutching the beddings in a tight grip as she was blinded by the tears. She couldnt breath, she pulled her knees up and burried her face in her hands "who could do this to her family? who could be so cruel?" After a while she staggered back up at her feet and she walked out into the kitchen erea, she placed the other chairs around the table and put the half eaten bowls with stue in a stock and placed it in the washbasin. She whiped her hands on her skirt and walked out of the house. She grabed the rains of her mare and walked over to the stable where she pulled the doors open, there on the dusty floor one of her brother was laying with a rifle shot in his back, Lissy was in shock, she didnt know what she was doing, her body was functioning but her mind was blanc, she walked around the body of her dead brother and guided her mare into her box, she pulled the sadle off, before she walked out and found a bucket of water and some hay that she placed in her horses box. When her horse where safely place she grabed a shovel and walked out into the field behind the house, she pushed the shovel into the dirt, picked it up and threw it at the side, she again shoved it down into the dirt and picked up another pile and threw it at the side.  
She had no idea how long she had been digging, she must have kept at it for houers, she had not noticed that the sun was starting to set. She felt a pair of strong arms grab around her chest and pull her out of the hole, panick struck her and she screamed and kicked and clawed her nails into the arms who where holding her. The people who had whiped out her entire family had returned to finish her off as well! She was turned around but she couldnt focus on the face infront of her, she was so sure she was about to die. Lissy felt a callous hand being laid against her wet cheek "shhhh miss Lissybeth, its sherrif Grimes and deputy Jack , we are here to help you" Lissy lifted her head and met the sherrifs kind blue eyes, she slumped back onto the ground and whiped her eyes, the sherrif was on his knees infront of her and the deputy was standing behind him, alert and ready for anything. The sherrif had curly brown hair that was pulled back, his face was cowered in a thin layer of a three day old beard, his face was covered in dust and grime. Her eyes flickered from the sherrif to the deputy, he was lean, but had wide strong sholders, brown hair tied in a ponytail under his hat, his chin was cleanshaved except a growing mustache. He had kind brown eyes, but she had heard that you should not let the softnes in his brown eyes fool you, he was deadly with his colts in his hands and he was a mean poker player, never lost a game before he became the sherrifs deputy and had started chasing the preachers daughter, miss Mary Agnes. Lissybeth felt the sherrifs hand on her sholder and her gray orbs met his light blue " what happened here miss Lissybeth? Did you see who did this?" Lissy shook her head "daddy sent me into town yesterday, but the weather got so bad so i couldnt ride home, had to spend the night at the inn. When i got back i was met by this masacre" she chocked out, her voice shakey and full of sorrow. "Why are you here sherrif?" Sherrif Grimes helped her up on her feet, he grabed his hat from the ground and hit it against his tigh to get the dust off before he placed it back on his head " Deputy Jack came over the body of your brother on his way back to town, he fetched me and we came here to notify your parants" He turned to Jack " Go into town and get a carriage to take the bodies back to town, notefy the preacher as well" Lissys gray eyes focused on the hole she had been digging, what had she been thinking, her family needed to be burried at the cemetary in town. "Ill get your horse ready miss, and take you into town, we can help you settle up in the hotel, you shouldnt be alone right now, what you want to do with the ranch we can settle later" Lissy could only nod and she followed the two men to the front of the house, she colapsed down onto the porch, her mind was in a daze but it didnt take long before the sherrife came back with her horse, he helped her up and she guided her mare after the sherrifes horse.   
No one had said a word on theire ride into town, Lissy only lifted her gaze as they passed the big sign of the towns name "Black stone" she whispered to herself, the name had never made as much sence to her as in this moment, her soul felt black, and the town was surrounded by a stony hill . The stable boy greeted them and grabed the rains of their horses, the sherrife guided her over to the hotel and explained her situation quietly to the hotel manager, who gasped, Lissy could feel the managers eyes burn into her back as she turned away from his prying eyes. She couldnt deal with the pitty and the curiousity, she felt close to colapsing when the sherrif guided her up to one of the rooms and helped her down in one of the rocking chairs in the room. " Please miss, try to get some rest, if you need anything, just tell the manager and he will fetch me or my deputy" Lissys eyes was glued to the floor, but she managed to nod her head, she was too numb to voice any coherant responce "I will send my wife over with some dresses, you two are about the same size" she felt him move closer to her chair and she felt his hand resting on her sholder again "i will do what i can to find out what happened to your family and who did it" again she just nodded. She heard the door click behind the sherrife as he left. What was she to do now? What would become of her? She had never felt so lonely and lost in her entire life. Her whole world had been whiped out in a blink of an eye.


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl chewed on his lips to hide the victorious grin that wass lurking on the crock of his mouth, he slowly laid down his cards and watched as the other rugged looking men was hit by the realisation that they had lost the poker game once again, Darylˋs uncle Pat, whiped the table clean of bons and coins. Thats when one of the men that had played laid his hands on the cards "rematch!" he demanded and the others hummed agreeingly. Pat looked at Daryl, he knew the boy had gotten alittle to much whiskey to not blow his fuse any secound, his brother Willˋs boys had very short fuses, just like their daddy. He gave Daryl a stern look, "Nah"Daryl grunted and gathered his cards and stuffed them into the bag his uncle Pat was holding open "come on, yall gotta give us a chance here man?!?" The man had started raising his voice and both Pat and Daryl knew this could turn ugly any second. "Unless yall are cheeting?!?" another man now shouted, and that was it for Daryl, he was a thief and a killer, but he had never ever cheeted in a cardgame! His anger flared up and he pushed the chair back with his legs as he swiftly jumped to his feet. His pistols dangeling on each side of his hips, he grabed the mans shirt and balled it up in his fists in a tight grip "ya callin me a cheater huh? " The man met Daryls stormy blue eyes , his eyes flickered to the side to see if the others would help him take this young man down. Before Daryl had the chanse to draw his right hand back and throw a well deserved punch to the idiots face the saloon doors swung open and in walked Goldcreeks Sherrif, he had his pistol already drawn and the saloon got deadly silent. " Daryl Dixon and Pat Dixon! Yall are under arrest for stealing the Goldens Horse property!" Daryls fist softened the grip on the mans shirt and looked over to his uncle, cocking a brow, was this man for real, did he just walked into this saloon alone trying to arrest two members of the notorious Dixon gang? Pat shruged and turned to the sherrife " now now, lower yer weapons there sherrif, im sure we can work this out without pumping this fine establishment full of led" Daryl scoffed, his uncle Pat was always a sweet talker, not much older then his brother Merle, he still had the looks too. He watched as Pat grabed his hat on the table and placed it onto his head, covering his light brown hair that was brushed slick back on his head, his skye blue eyes was now hard as steal, but his voice soft and smooth. " I saw the horses tied up infront, it got the Golden horse brand to them, and i know the owner didnt give yall those horses!" the old man that was the sherrif continued, taking a step closer to Pat. Daryl had now relesed the grip of the mans shirt and grabed his hat befor he brushed the same shade of brown hair as his uncle back and placed his hat on his head, he was now ready to take this whole town on, and he knew Pat was too. If only Merle hadnt chased two of the saloons hookers upstairs and would sertainly be cought with his trousers down. That would surly piss him off to no end! Pat gave Daryl a short grin and in one swift motion Pat had drawn his colt and had fired one shot right between the sherrifes brown eyes, they watched as the man almost in slow motion fall back, hitting the saloon doors and land on his back half way outside to double doors. Daryl felt the wave of hatered and rage roll over the room and he felt a fist being connected with his jaw, unprepared as he was his head flew backwards and he had to take a couple of steps back to regain his balance, but his eyes flew onto the man he had just threatened and he saw how shocked the man now was, he knew now who they where and who he had just hit. Daryl growled and jumped the man and let his fist connect with the soft flesh of the mans face, both men fell back onto the table and it broke under their weight. Daryl felt another man grab around his chest and pull him off the man he was straddeling and punching, as he got to his feet he broke loose from the grip and blindly punched the man who had grabed him, men was comming at him and he was punching wildly, his hat was no longer on his head and he could feel sweat and blood covering his face. Suddenly a pistol was fired into the room and Daryl swiftly drew his colt, but the room grew quiet and at the saloon doors stood his father, Will Dixon, the leader of the Dixon gang. Daryl lowered his pistol "now who the hell desided to throw a party without inviting me?" Wills voice boomed into the room, his evil grin back on his face, now that he had everyones atention, Daryl saw how Pat staggered to his feet, spitting blood and whiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Will and Pat Dixon was so different. Will was tall and muscular, short white hair and a weeks scruff on his face, his nose crocked from years of fist fights, while Pat was tall, but lean built, his sholders broad but his hips slim and his hair still the same color as the day he was born, and his tongue smooth as silk, when Daryl thought about it his father and uncle was just as unlike as himself and his brother Merle, though Daryl could not be accused of having a smooth tongue. He had always been socially awkward, the only friends he had was his family and the guys in the gang, him and woman was a big joke. He could shoot, throw a knife, he could use a bow and arrow with unbelivable accuracy, but horses was his passion. Daryl met his fathers eyes "Go get your brother and the rest of the guys, boy, weˋr leavin!" Daryl huffed and ran up the stairs and started shouting "Merle!!!! Joe!!! Len!!!" Merle rushed out into the hall, pulling his trousers up as he ran out into the hall "what?" he growled annoyed, eyeing Daryl " Weˋr leavin" Daryl said gruffly, he was the youngest, only 20 years old, and was always treated like the baby, something that always had annoyed him. The rest of the guys came piling out from each room, cursing and complaining that they wherent finished playing "not my damn problem" he grumbled on his way down the stairs, he followed his dad and uncle outside and saw the rest of the gang sittin on their horses, just waiting on their leader to order them to head ou, he got up on his horse. It didnt take long before all the guys where on their horses and galloping down the street.

It was late at night and Daryl had been told to stand guard around their makeshift campsite, the bonfire was low and low snores could be heard where the gang was scattered around on the ground sleeping. He had just checked on the horses and was sitting by the fire when he heard some rusteling in the leafs, he cocked his pistol and directed it to the direction of the noise as he got up to his feet and silently walked over "whats yer buisness here?" he growled, it took about a minute before a man stepped out of the bushes holding his hands in the air. Daryl looked the man over, he held his horses rains in his right hand, the mans hat was pushed back on his back, his black hair had a stench of gray in it, the man had a stupid smirk on his face, Daryl eyed the pistol hanging losely on the mans right hip "I dont want any trouble" the man said, still smiling, Daryl scoffed but kept his eyes on the man "who are ya and what ya want?" Daryl growled lowly. The man lowered his hands and leaned back on his heals "im Negan, and i saw yall at the saloon earlier, i wanted to join yer gang" Daryl huffed, was this man for real, no one came up and wanted to join his gang, they had a nasty reputation "get back on yer horse and trott along, the application office is closed for today" Daryl said sarcastically, he knew if something or someone woke Will Dixon up, there was gonna be hell to pay, he wanted to end the conversation before someone ended up with a bullet stuck in their forhead. The man sniggered "Maybe i should wait until the morning and talk to yer pa?" Daryl turned back to the man with his pistol cocked and raised pointing at the mans face " I told ya to get lost! Now git!!!" One thing was when his family or gang teased him about being the youngest, another was when strangers made fun of him aswell. He was the best gunman in the whole fucking gang for crying out loud. Merle stirred awake " what is all that hollaring babybrother? a snake bit yer ass or somethin?" Merle sat up and pushed his hat up from his forhead so he could get a clear view of what was going on "nah, this idiot desided to take a moonshine strawl and stumbled into our camp, told him to get lost" Daryl growled still pointing his colt at the mans face, the man stepped towards Merle, the stupid grin back on his face "actually i wanted to join yer gang" he said and this made Merle throw his head back and bark out a laugh, Daryl cringed from the sound, but what Merle did next made Daryl want to sink into the ground. Merle got up to his feet and kicked their fathers boot " hey pa, theres some guy here who wants to join us" Daryl cleanshed his jaw, Merle was pure muce, no brains. Both Will and Pat jolted awake and was on their feet in an instent, their guns drawn. Daryl could see that Will was deffently not happy. "what makes ya think we want yer sorry ass in our gang?" Will asked, his voice was dripping with hatered. The mans grin haltered a bit, it didnt seem like he was used to being questioned like that "well for one i know the good people of Gold creek have sent for the marchal and that they are planing to hang Patrick and Daryl Dixon". Daryl scoffed, it wasnt the first time he had heard that, they all had their price on their heads. "That is old news, friend" Will said, his voice dripping with poison at the word friend. "alright " negan said " i know that the bank of Gold Creek is at the moment loaded, since its holding bonds and gold for the miners from the erea, and it wasnt picked up like it was suppose to last week, aperantly there is a flue spreading. " Will, Pat and Merle where now curious, Daryl knew what this ment, they where gonna set up to rob the bank. He was pretending not to be interested as he looked over the horses, but listened in on the conversation, he was more at ease now since his family was awake and could deal with any form of problem that the stranger might cause. "Now that you have our attention, tell us of the banks rutines?" Pat said quietly, keeping an eye on his youngest nephew, Daryl had been acting strangly lately, he wa becomming more and more distand to the others, always keeping himself more busy with the horses, more interested in stealing from the ranches or go out and capture wild horses out on the prerie, then about money. Negan walked over to Daryl and pushed the rains into Daryls hands "feed and water her, and treat her kindly, she is my special little girl" he then turned and returned to the fire and sat down. Daryl let his hand glide over the light brown, almost beige soft furr, she was deffently a beauty, he pulled the sadle off of her back and gave her hay and water and tied her up with the other horses. He whent back to the fireplace and sat down just as Negan was done explaining. "You guys shot the only lawman in town and it takes a while for the marshal to get here, so i think its wise to strike now" Will rubbed his scruffy chin " yeah i think not only will the good folks of Golden creek part with their money, but i think their life aswell would be in order for wanting to see my baby brother and my youngest son dangle" Merles face cracked into an evil grin "ooooo hell yeah pa, wer gonna have ourself alittle pow wow in the Golden town " their father nodded grabbing his knife and picking at his nails with the sharp point of the blade.

Daryl had a bad feeling of this, Will had sent Len, Billy , Dan and Lou with him. Will knew that Daryl and Len wherent exactly on good foot, and that it always ended badly when the two of them had to work together. They all walked into the bank, a few people stood in line in front of the counter, Daryl where first and walked up to a petite looking brunette, he unsheated his knife and quietly laid his hand over the womans mouth from behind and then pressed his knife to her throat as he whispered to the little brunett " be a good little bitch and do as i say and i wount hurt ya" she could hear the woman yelp from the surprise and he felt how the little body tenced under his grip, he watched her eyes grew big with fear. He pushed the woman to the front of the line, he raised his voice " Now, if everyone collaborate then this little lady will walk out of here without a scratch, if not, then we will paint the town with her blood!" his voice was clear and serious, no one would question if he really ment what he said. The banker grabed for his rifle but Daryl pushed the womans head back further and pressed the shining blade firmer against her white skin "nuuhuu i wouldnt do that if i was you" he said, his blue eyes met the bankers orbs. Len walked up to the counter and pushed the saddlebags into the bankers now empty hands "better fill them up, and be quick about it" Len said, his voice cocky as ever. Daryl watched as the banker grabed the saddlebags with shakey hands, the woman was whimpering and he felt his hand he held over her mouth getting wet from her tears, he removed his hand and whiped the tears on her right cheek with his thumb "shhh, yer gonna be fine darlin, this will be over soon, in twenty years ya can tell yer grandkids about the time ya where being held hostage by the Dixon gang and how brave ya where" he felt her whole body tremble and shiver when she reqognized the name "please mr Dixon, please dont kill me" she shakingly whispered, Len heard the womans pleading and leaned into her face "awww yer gonna beg us to kill ya, been a long time since we have had a taste of something so pretty as yerself" the womans crys grew louder, Daryl hated the sound, he forced the woman to take a couple of steps away from Len "shut up woman or i swear im gonna slit yer throat" the woman forced her cryes back and sniffled, the banker came back with the saddlebags, but just as he where to hand them over to Len, two men walked into the bank. Daryl swiftly turned, still the woman in his tight grip, she was light as a feather and he felt her skirts wrap around his legs as she was thrown around like a ragdoll, Daryl could see the two men who walked in was one of those people who always wanted to play the heros, each town had them, they drew the guns on them, everything happened in a blink of an eye. Daryls knife slid through the soft white skin of the womans neck, he could hear the recognizable gurgeling sound of her life slipping out of her as she fell like a sack of potatos to the floor, he drew his pistols and fired one shot, hitting the second man in the neck, he saw that Len, Billy, Dan and Lou had also drawn their guns and they shot the rest of the people in the bank, Daryl turned and grabed the sadle bags and threw them over his sholder as they all ran to the door. Guns being fired could be heard from the streets, there where also woman and kids crying and screaming, as Daryl ran out into the street he could see the rest of the gang was about to tear the town apart, two buildings where already burning. He heard Merls hollaring as he passed him galloping down the street, a rope tied to his saddle, the other end was around a womans neck who was being pulled behind the running horse. He felt a bullet grace his sholder and turned and shot the man who had shot at him, he recognized him from the saloone, the man was dead before he could even blink. Daryl got up on his horse and took off, he figured he would meet the rest of the gang back at their camp, as he pushed his horse harder he felt a burning pain in his side and he looked down, and saw his dearskin jacket quickly got soaked with blood, he gasped for air and clinged to the saddle as his horse continued up the montain.

Daryl didnt know how long he had been riding, the throbbing pain in his sholder and side wouldnt give and he felt dizzy and nauseous from the bloodloss, his jacket was now soaked. He had given his horse free rains and trusted the animal to bring him far away from the town, he knew the horse had headed a different way then the campsite, but he didnt care, he was probably going to die eiether way from the gonwound. He looked up at the sky, thick clouds had gathered and the themperature had dropped drastically the last weeks, winter was right around the corner he thought, and on cue big snowflakes started falling. He shivered, his hands felt frozen, he had often imagined how he would die, being an outlaw he knew it was gonna happen soner or later, he always thought he would die instantly from a bullet, or being hanged, but not like this, slowly and painfully fade away into nothing. What did he have to show for from his life? Nothing, just a bad reputation, and it was not really his reputation, more his family. With the woman today he had killed 15 people, he didnt take pleasure in taking someones life like his brother or pa, he did it more to save his own neck. Being an outlaw was a strugle, it was a hard life, you slept on the ground more then you slept in a warm bed, you ate when you where camped up someplace and not on the run from the lawmen. He wouldnt have chosen this life for himself, but the fact was he was born into it. His ma was a whore, one of the regulars his pa used everytime he came into the town she lived in, she had died giving birth to him, he had been left at the brothel, spending his first 7 years, carrying water, emptying bedpots, caring for the horses at the rental stable in town, until one day his pa and 10 year older brother came riding into town to fetch him. A Dixon belonged with his family, the owner of the brothel was happy to hand him over, one less mouth to feed and from that day he had been drilled on how to be an outlaw. Now he was 20, almost 21 and he was about to die, being shot by a coward. Daryl slipped in and out of consciousness a couple of times, everytime he came to he was almost sliding off his horse, he had grabed a rope and tied himself to the sadle the best he could, he noticed how the snow was starting to cower the ground now, he looked around, the landscape was open. He had been riding on the ridge of a hill for houers now, it had gotten dark, he could hardly see infront of his horse. He knew his horse was getting tired as well, it needed water and hay, he had to find somewhere to stay for the rest of the night, the wind had increased and the snow was comming sideways now, he had pulled up the rag he had tied around his neck over his nose, but his cheeks was still cold as ice. He could feel the frostbite on his feet. He came to when his horse started trotting and then suddenly come to a an abrupt halt, he thought he could hear a womans voice, but it had to be in his head, he felt the rope around him give and he crached into the ground, he grunted from the impact of hitting the ground. He thought he could see a womans face hovering abow him, her pale blond hair covered with a thin layer of snow, her cheeks pink from the cold wind, had he died, was she an angel who had come to collect his rotten soul? He tried to blink and focus but the image of her was getting more blurry. "You have to try and get up, ill help you into the barn, you are hurt mr. " there that soft angelic voice where again, he felt someone tugging at his sholder and he grunted, the movement made the pain shoot like lightning down his arm an side, he could feel the warm stream of blood soaking the waistband of his trousers. He forced himself up on his feet and leaned heavely on the small figure next to him, a small arm snaked around his waist. What the hell was happening, was this a test? he had never heard that you had to go through tests to die. He continued to force one foot infront of the other for what seemed an eternity. He felt warm damp air suddenly hitting his face, he was led over a wooden floor and then the grip around his waist was gone and he tipped over and fell into something soft. Bright light hit his eyes and he squinted his eyes, still unable to focus "you are hurt mr, im gonna try and help you, but i have to remove your jacket and shirt" he was pulled up into a sitting position and his jacket where pulled down his sholders, his sholder was on fire, why would someone undress him if he was dead? "Leave it, im gonna die eitherway" he slurred, his voice hoarse " nah mr, the wound in your sholder is shallow, and from what i can see i think i can remove the bullet in your stomach, you have been bleeding alot, but with rest, food and water, i think you will be as good as new" the light, soft voice answered him. That was the last thing he heard before the pain exploded and he passed out.


	3. Chapter 3

Lissy had been out in the barn checking on her horse, giving the mare clean water and alittle more hay, since it was getting colder, she was on her way back to the house to turn in for the night when she spotted a dark figure comming in on her property. She had been living on the ranch alone for six months, sometimes deputy Jack came over with his wife to be to help out with the work, but they always came in the morning, never at night. After what happened she was always carrying either a pistol or a rifle, she had gotten pretty good at shooting, living on her own had been hard in the beginning, she had to start over, cows had been to much work for one single person she had reconed so she had settled with hearding in horses, taming them, branding them and selling them. At first it didnt give enough money to survive on, so she had to learn how to hunt, really gave her practise in shooting. She was no longer a proper city girl. People in town had told her to sell the ranch and move into town, but she could never live there, she needed to be out here, even if she was alone, she knew she could make it, she was stubborn enough, so far it had worked out. The fear of the savages returning to finish her off and steal her horses where always lurking in the back of her head, thats why she where always carrying a rifle when she was outside after dark. Seeing the figure on the horse had spooked her at first, she had shouted a warning, raised her rifle and was about to shoot when the figure slid off the horse and crashed into the ground. She had ran over and squatted next to the man. She could easly see he was hurt, the mans clothes was cowered in blood, she had pulled the jacket aside and she saw the bullet wound in his stomach. The mans face was covered with a rag, she pulled it down and leaned over him, trying get him to open his eyes, couse of the cold, she could easly see he was breathing. He grunted and she pulled on his sholder, talking to him, telling him that she was gonna help him the best she could, but he had to get up on his feet, she wasnt strong enough to pull him up by herself, he opened his eyes, they met hers for a short moment before they rolled back once again, he mumbled something about being dead and angels. She shook his sholder again, and his eyes flew open again, she repeated that he had to get up on his feet, but she was gonna help him. This time he staggered at his feet and leaned heavely onto her, she almost crumbled under his weight, he was taller then her, leaned built from what she could feel wrapping her arm around his waist. She guided him into the barn, her mare looked up as they stumbled inside, her mare prusted hard from the stranger and the smell of blood. She helped him down onto the hey in a free box, then she turned to light a lantern and put it next to her, she told him that she had to underss him to tend to his wounds, this time he sounded like he was conscious, he told her to leave it and that he was dying. She didnt bother to listen, he didnt seem that old, only a couple of years older then her, and he looked healthy enough to pull through, if not the the wounds got infected she thought darkly. She managed to pull off his jacket after some struggeling, she dropped the wet jacket on the floor, before she looked back down at him, she had been right, he was lean built, but his sholders where wide and strong, for some reason her hands started shaking as she started on the buttons in his shirt. When it was open she pushed it ower his sholders, the shirt landed upon the jacket, it was ruined from all the blood eitherway. She studied the wound on his sholder, thank god it was only a grace wound, but the wound in his stomach was what consearned her, she grabed the knife that he had sheated to his trousers, she held the blade over the flame in the lantern, then she poked and proded it into the wound, warm fresh blood started prickeling from the wound, but she managed to fish it out and it landed on the floor with a dull thud. He looked at the mans face, he was pale and she could spot prickles of sweat on his forhead, she leaned over and grabed his shirt and pressed itt into the wound, before she ran back outside, she needed to find some of the lose gunpowder to sterelise the wound and burn the wound so the bleeding would stop. She knew where her father had stashed it away, she whent for the kitchen counter and found what she was looking for, on the way back she grabed the mans horse and pulled it inside the barn and looked it into one of the empty boxes, the wind was howling outside now. She sat back down next to the man and poored some of the gunpowder into the wound and lit it on fire, for a second the man opened his eyes, it was probably a reaction to the pain becouse he was out cold again only secounds later. She pulled one of the horse blankets over him to shield him from the cold and wiped his forhead. She pushed his to long brown hair away from his face, he almost looked peacefull, if it wherent for his shallow breaths she would think he was dead. She figured he would be sleeping for a while, so she got up to her feet and tended to his horse, gave it hay and water. Before she returned to her house she removed his gunbelt and brought the guns into the house, atleast now he was unarmed and she was on guard, she would shoot him if he came to and tried to hurt her. She slipped into her warm house and bolted the door shut before she undressed and climbed into the warm bed, she placed the worn gun belt next to her. She pulled out one of the pistols and let her hands glide over the cold metal, she opened it and saw it was only two bullets left in it, the pistol was much heavier then the one she owned, she put it back and pulled the blanket up under her chin and closed her eyes, her last thoughts before she fell asleep was on the stranger out in the barn.

The first day whent like any normal day for Lissy, only thing from her dayli rutine was that she checked up on the stranger, dugg out some of her brothers old clothes, she recon they had been the same size as the stranger from what she could remember. After she let the horses out, she spotted his sadlebags, she was so curious to who the stranger might be, she stood there for a while and looked at him, he had not moved at all, but he was breathing, she squatted down next to the sadlebags and oppened it slowly, carefull not to make a sound. She flipped the leather hatch open and looked down, there where not much in it, she rumaged around a bit, but found nothing that could give her a clue to who he was. She knew he was a gunman, no ordinary ranch worker had guns like him, she looked over to the other sets of sadlebags that the man had been carrying, she leaned over and grabed them, they where alot heavyer. She opened one of the hatches and peaked inside, she gasped, it was full of money and bank bonds. Why where he carrying so much money? Was it his? Hed he stolen it. Had he been robbing a bank and got shot when he tried to escape? Where she saving a criminal?, she swiftly closed the satchel, she had to hide the saddlebags, make sure he couldnt find it, so that he wouldnt hurt her or kill her as soon as he woke up. She made her way out of the barn and into her house where she hid the saddelbags under her parants beds. There where a lose floorboard there, she opened it and stuffed it down into the ground. It was a tight fit, but she managed after a while.

The second day started out as usual, she ate her breakfast, cleaned the house and let the horses out. When she had gotten the last horse out, she could spot a wagon enter her land, she grabed her rifle and cocked it and held it up, but as soon as she recognized the two woman and the boy from back water village she lowered her wepon. She gave the oldest woman a nod "I didnt expect you guys up here until the end of the week?" She had been trading with the people of black river for about three months now, they gave her supplies, lend a helping hand and whatever els she needed, and she paid with tamed strong horses. The two woman and the young boy jumped down, the woman named Michone whent to the back of the wagon and started to unload it, potatos, milk, bread and other goodies. The other woman Sasha walked up to her while the two otherss started carrying the supplies into her house " Morgan didnt wanna take any chanses, we might not be able to pull the wagon up by the end of the week becouse of the snow" Lissy nodded and gave her a soft smile "well i do apretiate it, tell Morgan that i will deliver the horses we agreed on as soon as they are ready, i just let them out, take a look at them and tell Morgan that they are healthy and promising" Sasha smiled widly at her and directed her gaze over at the horses rolling in the fresh snow" She nodded "They look good, Morgan and the others will be very pleased " Michone and Noah had joined them by the fence and where studying the animals "I must say i was sceptical to the arrangement when you first came to us, not meny white folks of Black Stone want anything to do with us in Black river, but looks like you are delivering what you promised" Lissy knew about the hostility these people had against the people of Black Stone, to some leangth she kind of agreed with them "Well i have never had any cuarrals with you, besides im not really a part of Black Stone, i like it out here, the distance is good. And i would like to continue our arrangement" Michone nodded and they all climbed up on the wagon and took their leave. She sighed, thank god for the buffalo hunters of Black river.   
She walked over to the barn to much out of the boxes, she stomped off the snow clinging to her winter boots, she glanzed over to the stranger, who had started to stirr alittle, oh, he is finally waking up she thought. She sat down next to him and filled a tincup with water from a pitcher she had carried in last night. "Mr. you need to drink alittle, you will feel better" she said, he opened his eyes and looked straight at her, it was the most unbelivable blue eyes she had ever seen, he had gorgeous eyes, like the skye. "who are ya and where am i?" he said, his voice was gruffy and cracked. She held the tincup up against his lips and he gulped down the liquid "Im Lissybeth, most people just calls me Lissy, and your on my ranch, you rode in two nights ago, you where shot, lost alot of blood, you passed out and have been sleeping the past two days" she tried to give him a reasuring calming smile, but it didnt look like it worked couse he looked at her like she was insane. "I took care of your wounds, and from what i can see, you dont have an infection." The man lifted the blanket and looked down his bare upper body "wheres my clothes?" he was now struggeling with getting up to a sitting position, she grabed his sholders to help, but he pushed her off "your shirt and jacket was soaked with blood, i brought some clothes, that might fit you" she leaned over and grabed the trousers, shirt and underwear. "You must be hungry, ill go get you something to eat, while you get dressed" She got to her feet and walked out, before he could object any further. 

Daryl threw away the blanket as soon as the woman had left and changed into the clothes she had brought. They fit almost perfectly, just alittle tight around his upper arms. He looked the clothes over, it was probably her husbands. He eyed his saddlebags laying on the floor near one of the boxes, he slowly got up to his feet, still a bit dizzy and walked over to it, he pulled it up and whent through it, damn, wrong saddlebags, had he lost the money on his way out here? if he had, he was in deep shit. He pulled his hands through his hair, just then the barn door creeked open and the little woman walked in with a bowl full of steaming hot stue, the heavenly smell filled his nostrils, she pointed to where he had been laying and he walked over and slowly slid back down onto the floor, she sat down next to him and handed him the bowl, he stirred the spoon around the thick stue to cool it off. "Im glad the clothes fit you" she said, her voice seemed familularly in a weird way, almost soothing. He shuffled the food into his mouth and chewed, it was so good he could have moaned. "Yeah, tell yer husband thanks" he grumbled between mouthfulls, she giggled slightly and he looked at her quisically with a cocked brow "im not married, used to be my brothers clothes" she said and he could see her smile fade on her soft red lips "well tell him thanks then" he didnt get why it mattered who the clothes belonged too, they where on his body now. "I cant, they are dead" she whispered, he looked up at her again, chewed and slowly swallowed. Wait a minute, her brother where dead? She wherent married, she owned the ranch, things wherent exactly adding up here. He sat quiet and waited for her to continue, but she kept her silence, so he recon she wherent up for sharing, it really didnt matter, he had to leave soon anyways. "What is your name mr?" Daryl leaned over and grabed the pitcher and filled the tincup and emptied it in one big gulp, he placed the now empty bowl on the floor, the tincup still in his hands "Daryl" he answered, leaving his last name on purpose. The woman, Lissybeth, nodded. "Whats the nearest town called here?" he finally asked, he hoped he was a long way from Golden Creek. "Black Stone is the nearest town, and its about an houer ride from here, now probably two, becouse of all the snow" He nodded, he or his family had never been here, his identity was probably safe for now. "Wheres my horse and the rest of my things?" he said, glanzing over at his saddlebags. "Your horse is out with my other horses, ive fed it well, so no worries about it, a fine animal. Your things is right there" He looked at her, now chewing on his thumb, he was trying to figure out if she was lying "im missing one satchel and my gunbelt" He watched as her eyes flickered a bit before it landed on the floor, she was hiding something. " Yeah, well, i didnt know if you where gonna wake up and kill me in my sleep, so i took your gunbelt into the house, and i couldnt leave all that money laying around in the barn, i hid it" Daryls anger flared up, the woman was deffently a crazy one. "Did ya tell anyone about the money?" she shook her head "theres no one to tell, im here all alone, except from the horses" Daryl looked at her like she had two heads "ya live here all by yer self? on a ranch? with no help? are ya insane? do ya know how dangerous it is out there?. The woman just nodded " yes im well aware of the danger, the danger your talking about whiped out my entire family. I do get some help from time to time from the buffolo hunters over at Blackriver." Daryl froze in an instant as he heard about the buffolo hunters. His family had been on the buffolo hunters hitlist during the war. The goverment had a specialy trained army who hunted down lawless men and slayed them down, and they where good. Daryl had never seen anyone except his own family who could track and shoot as good. He forced him self to nod, but he could see that the woman had cought up on him trying to hide something. But she pretended like nothing. He got up to his feet and walked over to the barn doors, he looked outside "well ya better go get my stuff missy, i gotta get a move on". The woman was up on her feet too, he looked over his sholder and met her almost pleeding eyes "you cant go now mr, you need to rest and let your body heal. And the snow is too deep. " He looked over the landscape, damn she was right, he was stuck here. "Looks like yer stuck with me until the weather gets warmer, i guess i own ya as much for patchin me up" he knew he sounded far from happy about the arrangment but he really didnt have the energy to pretend, and he had always been straight forward with people, better that way. The woman smiled as she walked up to him, she was pretty he could admit that, but to crazy for her own good. "well since you gonna help me out, i recon you have some experiances with horses?" Daryl nodded comfirmly "good, since you are a stranger to me i prefer that you sleep out here, i will fetch you some more blankets, but you can eat with me in the house, and if it is alright with you, i will keep your money and gunbelt hidden for now" Daryl scoffed, he had espected as much, although he felt naked without his guns. He nodded to make her see he accepted her therms. "You look tired, you should get some more rest, ill call you in for supper and you can help me take in the horses to night" He watched as the little woman walked out and closed the doors behind her, he walked over to his makeshift bed and laid down.

Daryl had stayed on Lissys farm for almost a month, a harsh storm had hit them and they had been snowed in for almost three weeks, they had just sat down to eat when Lissy sighed, Daryl was as usual shuffeling the food into his mouth and chewing loudly, "what?" he asked gruffly, looking at her through his long brown tresses, Lissy met his eyes, the man was always on guard, he was almost like a wild animal, skittish and always ready to attack. Lissy placed her spoon on the table "Itˋs just that i promised to deliver the horses i showed you to Blackriver two weeks ago, but becouse of all this snow i cant manage to keep my promise." She hated that she couldnt keep her end of the bargin. She hated to think that they didnt trust her. "Why ya giving those people good horses for free in the first place?" Daryl asked, cocking a brow, nothing came for free these days, people always had ulterior motives with their kindness. Lissy shruged "im not giving them away, i trade them for food and other supplies that i cant get on my own with hunting, fishing" Lissy had gotten used to the mans rough edges by now, and was waiting on some sarcastick remark "ya hunt?" this question was deffently not what she had expected, she smiled and nodded "mhm, only small kritters though, a buck is to much for me to drag home alone" Daryl nodded, her answer clearly made sence to him " If ya give me back my guns, ill go hunt down a buck for ya" Lissy chewed on her bottom lip, not sure if giving him back his pistol belt was a smart thing "If i was planing on killing ya, i would have done it already, i still have my knife" Lissy looked up and met his stormy blue, shadows where now clowding his eyes, she could easly see the darkness that was lurking in his shadows, even if she where curious to learn more about Daryl and his past, what kind of man he was, she wherent the one to poke a sleeping bear. She nodded "alright ill give you back your gunbelt, but you need to help me take those six horses over to Blackriver to morrow, they have waited long enough" Lissy watched him slow down his chewing, he was staring down at the table, he had acted funny the last time she had brought up the people from Blackriver. "What? you have something against people like them?" Daryl just shook his head, he didnt want to tell her why he was hessitant about helping her over to Blackriver, that ment that he had to tell her who he was and what he was a part of, what he had done. She would deffently turn him in if he did, and he didnt want that, he liked it just fine on the ranche, he liked working with the horses, he liked the quietness, the steady meals, he liked being around her. It was soothing his black soul. He felt like a person, like he mattered. He had noticed that he had to catch himself staring at her as they mucked out the boxes, or when they where working with the horses or shuffeling snow. He had never met a woman like her, frigale but still strong and determant. He had cursed at himself when he realised he admired her. It was wrong, he couldnt get attatched to anyone, atleast her. 

Daryl woke up early, he was restless and agrevated, he was anxious about going to Blackriver. This was the day that they would recognize him and tell Lissy about who he where, he knew it, he could feel it in his bones. He had let the horses out before Lissy had woken up and then he sat on the her porch just waiting for her to get breakfast ready. He had packed his saddlebags ready, so he could hightail if someone where to notefye the sheriff. He heard the door swing open behind him and looked over his sholder, he looked her up and down, and she almost took his breath away where she stood wearing a mans shirt and trousers that clung to her feminine curves. She met his eyes with a soft smile "good morning, your up early, and already let the horses out?, i guess i better get started on the breakfast then, you must be starving" he didnt answer, he just nodded and grunted as usuall, feeling stupid for eyeing her up and down like he had done. He got up to his feet and followed her inside the house, he stood there watching her for a moment, his thumb between his teeth, a nervous habbit of his. Why the fuck where he born with this insecurity around woman, his brother, his pa and uncle, they all where briliant around woman, got them to giggle and swarm around them with just a wink of an eye, but not Daryl, he was akward, clumsy and just plain stupid when it came to woman. " Whant any help?" he forced himself to ask, she turned and stared at him "with cooking??? you cook?" Daryl felt stupid again, course he could cook, if you where to survive out there you had to feed yourself. He walked over and grabed the frying pan and placed it over the fire in the fireplace, he placed the pieces of bacon on it, he felt her eyes on him and turned "what?" she giggled slightly "nothing, just not used to men cooking, a man making food was degrading in my family" Daryl scoffed "nothing degrading of keeping ya self alive by feedin ya self. When ya live out there, ya need to know how to hunt, cook and clean yer own clothes. No one will do it for ya" he said, she had cut up some bread and placed it on the table with butter, she handed him a pot of coffee, he turned the bits of bacon in the iron pan " i guess your right, im just not used to it....so you lived out there?" Daryl swallowed slowly, damn, he had said to much, he lifted the pan off the fire and put it on the table, and nodded, he sat down and filled his plate, he started stuffing his face, but she clearly didnt take the hint of not wanting to talk. "I thought maybe you where from Golden creek, maybe you had family there or something?" he almost choked on the bite of bread, he coughed and punched himself on the chest "why ya think im from Golden Creek?" he half whispered with his gruff voice, getting nervous, his thumb stuck inbetween his teeth again, he couldnt make him self look at her. "I dont know, i guess i just assumed you where from Golden creek when i saw the Golden horse branding on your horse" she said with a shrug, Daryl shook his head "hardly been to the town, the horse was a gift from my uncle" the lie felt bitter in his mouth, he hated that he had to lie to her.

As they guided the horses in to the paddock at Blackriver, they jumped down from their own horses, Daryl kind of stood back akwardly, chewing on his thumb, watching Lissy talk with some of the ladys. He had pulled his stetson further down on his forhead, maybe they wouldnt recognize him he thought. He hadnt noticed the group of men gathering, looking the horses over with wide smily faces. Daryl knew they where gonna be pleased with the ones Lissy had picked out, they where young, strong animals, with an easy temperament. The woman really knew how to tame the wild horses, she had a speacial hand with them and that impressed Daryl imensley. "Does she know who you are?" Daryl turned to the slightly shorter man standing next to him, the mans eyes where fixed on Lissy, just like his own, but then he shifted his focus and looked straight into his own blue eyes. Daryl shuffled his feet but didnt answer, the man spoke again " Iˋll take that as a no. You are putting her in danger, living on her ranch, yer pa is tearing up towns to find ya" Daryl knew he had been recognized, he swallowd hard "my tracks where covered by the snow, ill be long gone before they even think of comming to this side of the montainpass" He had recognized the man standing next to him as the leader of the town, Morgan. He knew the man could easly take him out on the spot if he wanted too. "im just helping ˋer out during the winter, i owe ˋer that much after saving my life" The man next to him, Morgan, sighed "I just hope that saving yer life dosent bring an end to hers, shes a good woman. The people of Blackriver have a good deal going with her and we will keep our eyes on her ranch, if anything happens to her we will hunt ya down like the dog ya are and slay ya" The mans brown eyes where cold and serious, Daryl just nodded, he knew he ment every word he said. The man was about to say something els, but Lissy came walking over to them and put an end to the conversation, or threats. "Good morning Morgan, i hope you will be satesfied with the horses we brought, and im sorry i didnt come sooner" The man gave Lissy one of his rare smiles " No worries miss Lissybeth, i know the snow have been to thick, i knew you would deliver as soon as you could. " Daryl watched as Lissys face broke into a wide perly white smile, her pale blond hair was braided and hanging over her right sholder, he saw how some of the men in the group where eyeing her, and white rage was boiling in his veins. He glared over at the men, who as soon they met his ice cold glare withdrew their eyes and focused back on the horses. Morgen where staring down at her with a more fatherly proudness then anything els. Lissy turned to Daryl " Thank god Daryl here could help me or els i wouldnt been able to come until spring" her voice soft and soothing, her praise making his cheeks warm up slightly, he wherent used to getting praised for just doing his job. Morgan nodded and said with a more worriesome tone in his voice "yes, good thing he is there to help you" Lissy swung herself up into the sadle and Daryl followed her example, he couldnt wait to get out of this town, Lissy said her good byes and pushed her heals to her mares flanks pushing her into a slow trott, Daryl where about to do the same, but Morgan grabed his horses reins "Remember what i said son..." Daryl met his brown eyes and nodded once. He had understood the warning, loud and clear. He made his horse trott up next to Lissy, they rode in silence for a while, but as they where to turn to head over the hill that would lead to her ranch, she continued straight ahead " I think we should go into town and spoil our self alittle, i bet a man like yourself are dying for a couple of rounds in the saloone, and i really need to buy some supplies that Blackriver cant produce. Daryls eyes flew up and met her gray sparkling orbs, he remembered the last time he was in a saloone and what had happened afterwards, he could still hear the gurgeling sounds from the woman he held in his arms as he slit her throat. He pushed back the panick that he was sure was latched into his blue eyes. He would tend to the horses while she did her thing.


	4. Chapter 4

Lissy left the rental stable with Daryl following her, she had tried to convince him that she would be fine on her own, and that he deserved some time off in the saloon, a cardgame and a couple of shots of burbon maybe, but he had refused, he was stubborn, she had come to see that, one of the things she had noticed about him, stubborn, hotheaded, a man of few words, Lissy shook her head, it was not healthy for her to be so curious about the man, if her mother was alive she would have a stroke if she knew her precious little daughter was curious about someone like Daryl. She giggled quietly to her self, but as she neaked a peek over at Daryl he was staring right at her "What?" he said, his voice low and his brows furrowed, she shook her head as she pushed the door open to the store and walked in "nothing" she said, still laughing at the thought of her hysterical mother. The store where unusual crowded as they entered, people had been chatting lowly among the groups that was scattered around in the room, waiting on the clerk to help them, the buzz in the room died down as soon as they entered, Lissys gray orbes scanned the room, she nodded and greeted a couple but the woman only looked another way or turned their back at her, this made Lissy wonder. Had something happen that she didnt know about?. She placed her self in the line infront of the counter, but the woman there just simply stepped aside, the clerks eyes messured her up and down "What do you want miss Lissybeth?" he said, his voice not as near as warm and welcoming as it usually was. Lissy gave the clerk the list of the things she needed, as she waited she turned slightly, the woman around in the room had now moved closer to eachother and where whispering to eachother, she saw their eyes was glued to Daryl, some where looking at him with disgust in their eyes, others where literarly undressing him with their eyes, this made Lissys heart speed up and she felt an undescribable anger fill her. A whispered conversation behind her reached her ears and she couldnt help but to listen in "Think what her parants would say if they where alive and knew she was whoring her self out at the ranch, no wonder the sherrif and deputy have been over there from time to time" Lissy had to swallow hard, where they talking about her? what did they mean by that " Yes, give it a couple of months and she will start to show, and just you wait as soon as she is heavy with his spawn, he will move on" Lissys hands where shaking, they where talking about her and Daryl, like they where doing something that they wherent suppose to, oh god, what if Daryl heard the gossip, she felt her cheeks warm up "To think that she could fall so deep, comming from a well respected family, she will probly turn the ranch into a brothel" Oh god why did the clerk take so long, she wanted to disapear through the floor, just then the clerk came out of the backroom with the sack of flour and the case of eggs, the potatos and the spices. She picked up the smaller things and dropped the coins on the counter, Daryl was quickly by her side, lifting up the hevier items easly and they both walked out of the store. She felt nauseous, as they reached the rental stable, she turned to Daryl "would you mind go over to the saloon and buy a bottle of burbon to take back?" she didnt wait for him to answer, she just pushed the coins into his glow covered hand, she was too embarraced to meet his quisically stare, she just turned back to her horse and started to fill the sadle bags with the items she had bought.

While she was standing outside, waiting for Daryl, two people she knew well came up to her, it was her now two best friends "Lissy!" the preachers daughter said with a hugh smile and hugged her tightly "Mary Agnes" Lissy breathed and hugged her back just as tightly, when she let go of her she turned her eyes at the deputy "Jack" she greated, making him smile and nod back at her. "How are you holding up out there on the ranch?" Mary Agnes asked, Lissy shruged "its alittle easier after i have gotten some help, i guess you have already heard that i have hired a ranch help now?" Lissy looked over to the two, who where excanging worried looks "Yes we have heard" Mary Agnes confirmed. Jack leaned in and gave Lissy a short squeese on her sholder before he walked of to let the girls talk without him listening in. They both stared after Jack and Lissy where the first to break the silence "when are you two getting hitched?" Mary Agnes cheeks got a suitingly red tint " Daddy wants us to wait until spring, he said i was gonna be a beautiful may bride" Lissy giggled "your pa is right, a crown of daisies and green leaves will look beautiful on you, i cant wait, i have the perfect wedding gift in mind" Mary Agnes giggled with her, but her exciting gimps in her eyes disaperad and turned into worry " Is the rumors true Lissy? Are you and the man living on your ranch doing unspeakable things?" Lissy cheeks turned crimson red "No Mary Agnes, he have been sleeping out in the barn this whole time. He have not once tried anything, he is the perfect gentleman. We only share the meals together. But you should she him with the horses" she got a dreamy look in her gray orbs " he does wonders with them, how he tame them without rope or anything, i tell you, his hands are magical!" Mary Agnes grinned "are you sure its only the horses he is working with his magically hands?" her voice had a naughty twang, Lissys dreamingly eyes stared over to the saloon, where Daryl walked out, she sighed heavely "one can only dream" Mary Agnes turned her head and followed Lissys stare over to the man walking towards them "oh my, is that him?" Lissy nodded " he is handsome and so young, from what i heard around town i thought he was older" Lissy shruged "i dont know his age, but he cant be more then a couple of years older then us, probably around Jacks age" Mary Agnes nodded agreeingly. Daryl had gotten his horse and where now walking up to them. Lissy turned to Daryl "Daryl, this is Miss Mary Agnes, a very good friend of mine, Mary Agnes, this is Daryl, my help" She watched as Daryl moved his hand up to the brim of his stetson and greeted her with a nod "miss". She had expected Daryls eyes to linger a while longer on her bestfriend, Mary Agnes was a true beauty and all the guys in town had been trying to convince her daddy to let them court her, but Jack where the only one the good preacher had felt confortable with around his only daughter. But Daryl turned his stormy blue eyes at her and met her sparkling grays "i got what ya requested" Lissy nodded and turned to her friend, "well we better head home now before it get too dark and we have to spend the night here" Mary Agnes nodded with a giggle "oh the horror of spending a night in Blackstone" then she made a shushing movement "git on yer horses and go on home" her accent got thicker as she joked around. Lissy shared her laughter and hugged her friend once more before she swung her self up on her horse and pushing her mare into a light trott

Daryl grabed the rains to Lissys mare as she got off and guided the two horses into the barn. The ride back had been quiet almost awkward, he had glanced over at Lissy a couple of times, she had been in such a good mood riding into town, but her cheerfull spirit had been crushed once they got into that store. First he thought people around town had recognized him, just like Morgan had done, and he was just waiting for the sherrif to come up to him to arrest him and drag him behind bars. But he had heard the poisones words in the store and quickly understood they where spready nasty rumors about her, sweet, beautiful, caring Lissy. They had talked about her like she was a trashy whore, the rage had been boiling inside of him, how dared they talk shit about her like that, she was just as innocent as the day she was born he thought to himself as he unsaddled the horses and gave them hay and water. He had felt the urge of tell them all to shut up and go to hel. Lissy wherent the kind of woman who lifted her skirt up for any man, no, a man would have to place a ring on her finger to get between those juicy white tighs he reconed. She was a proper girl, she deserved nothing less then that. He wherent a man like that, she was to good for him, Lissy where the kind of woman he could only dream of, but never be with, he was gonna have to leave eventually. He walked over to the house, hoping she would have supper ready, his stomach was growling. He stomped off the snow from his boots and stepped into the house, she stood over the fire and lifted a heavy cettle off and turned to him, her hair was wet and hang loosly down her back, the smell of soap lingered in the small house. "oh good, your just in time" she said and poored the hot water into a hugh tintub on the floor infront of the fireplace, he shut the door and pulled the jacket off and hung it next to the door, he unbuckled his pistolbelt and hung it over his jacket, he looked at her with a raised brow and she hung the cettle over the fire again "your bath, its ready. you get cleaned up while i make supper, then i thought we could play some cards" He swallowed hard, his eyes flickering from the tintub and back at her. Was she serious? did she want him to take a bath, naked while she was cooking only a couple of feet away? Aperantly she where serious, couse she pointed at a chair "ive laid out some clean clothes for you, a towel and a bar of soap" she gave him a smile, her face looked flushed, and he was wondering what was going through her thoughts right now, as she walked past him he could smell the faint smell of burbon, had she been drinking? He walked over to the tintub and let his finger ripp through the warm surface, it was just the perfect temperature, he walked around the tub and toed out of his boots, standing with his back towards her, he pulled the stained shirt over his head, he droped it on the floor and his trousers who where alittle big around his slip hips was kicked over to the shirt, he sunk slowly into the tub and he felt the warm water embrace his body, a relaxed and content sigh escaped his lips, he leaned his head against the edge of the tub and closed his eyes. He had laid blissfully relaxed like that for about 10 minutes before a splash could hear from the water "its good right? you forgot the soap" he opened his eyes and sat up, placing his hands abow hi privates, his wide stare met hers, she had deffently been drinking, her cheeks still flushed, but her eyes had a naughty glimps in them. He watched as she turned and picked up his dirty clothes and walked back into the kitchen. His body reacting to her being so close while he was naked, and he started to get hard, he shook his head and rubbed the bar of soap hard between his hands, he rubbed the foam over his chest, along his arms and down his stomach, wondering what would have happened if he had walked in on her taking a bath, how would she have reacted. He felt his privates throb from the thought of water dripping down her naked body, he pushed the thoughts back, he wherent alowd to think such sinfull thoughts about her, he respected her, she deserved better. He slid down into the water, making his face and hair wet, he rubbed the soap into his scalp and on his face, he held his breath and slid under the surface again, rinsing out the soap and clear out his dirty thoughts as well. When he felt clean enough he stepped out of the water and grabed the towel on the chair, he dried himself and swiftly got dressed. He threw the towel on the floor next to the tub and walked over and sat down at the table. His hair still dripping slightly onto the collar of his shirt. He felt her eyes on him and he looked up, she placed a bowl of stue infront of him and bread between them, she filled two glasses of burbon and handed him one, he greatfully grabed it and emptied it in one large gulp, he felt the brown spirit burn down his throut and almost setting his stomach on fire, she filled his glass again and placed the bottle between them on the table. He grabed the spoon and started shuffeling the food into his mouth. He was about to take another mouthfull but was stopped when he felt her slender fingertips run through his damp brown tresses. He looked up at her frowning his brows, she had never touched him before, well except when he was unconcious and she was fishing a bullet out of his stomach. "I could cut it if you want?" she half whispered and he cocked a brow quisically up at her "your hair, if it bothers you, i could cut it" he swallowd hard, he had to force himself not to lean into her touch, feeling her fingernails rake against his scalp, he directed his stare down at the table "does it bother ya? that its long?" he had to force himself to speak, his voice was scruffy, he gazed up at her again, her eyes focused on her fingers playing with the hair on the back of his head "no, it suits you, but i dont think it should get any longer" he nodded and she droped her hand to the side and sat down in her chair and started eating. "I found a deck of cards in your sadlebag that night you came here, i figured you played, what do you say, a friendly game of poker after dinner?" He almost chocked on his mouthfull, he quickly swallowed and took a swig at the burbon "ya play?" he watched her through his bangs, she shook her head and cleared her voice "no, my daddy didnt think it was suitable for a young lady to play cards." she took a swig of her own glass before she continued " ive always lived my life the way my daddy and ma wanted me too, always acted like a proper lady, but i guess it dosent matter much now, they are dead and my reputation is already ruined. I was thinking you could teach me how to play, i think theres alot of things you could teach me" she emptied her glass before she grabed their empty bowls and placed it on the counter, Daryl filled their glasses and she gave him the deck of cards "alright ill teach ya how to play" He quickly explained the rules of the game to her and suggested they where gonna give it a try. She lost the two first rounds, but she was starting to get a hang of it. Daryl gathered the cards and started to flip through them "lets play for real now" she said excited, he could hear that the burbon had started to have an effect on her. He looked up at her again through his bangs "i have always heard that men play with money, but since your the only one with money in this house that wouldnt be fair to use" he sighed and he continued to flip the cards "alright, what ya wanna play for?" he watched how she played with the glass of burbon, her slender fingertips slid around the rim of it "favors, if i win, you have to do me a favor, if you win ill do somethin for you?" Daryl nodded thinking he would get the next day off and would go out hunting, and she would do his chores on the ranch, he delt the cards and they started playing, suprisingly she beat his ass and won, he emptied his glass "alright, good try, rematch?" he said and grabed for her cards, but she placed her hand ontop of his and giggled "nice try there mr, but i won and you owe me a favor" he pulled his hand free from underneath hers and leaned back in his chair. If he didnt know any better he would say she was trying to seduce him, but she wouldnt, not someone like him. "alright what can i do for ya girly" he sighed, he was trying to think of what she might try to make him do. He watched as she slowly got up from her chair and moved over to the end of the table where he where sitting "i was thinking that you could teach me something els" she said, the look in her gray eyes made him a bit antsy, it was a look he had never seen in her eyes before, he watched as she hoisted up her skirt and slowly straddled his lap, he swallowed hard and looked down at her bare milky white tighes resting around his hips, he got hard in an instant and he looked up at her "teach ya what?" he wasnt really sure if he wanted to know the answer, are you kidding his brain yelled, yer dying to know, he felt her fingers rake through his hair and bend his head back alittle, she leaned into his chest and he could feel her breast press against him "i want you to teach me how to please a man like you" she whispered, her lips only inches from his. It was to temphting to resist and he pressed his lips against hers. He let his tongue slide over her bottom lip asking for entrance and she opened her mouth eagerly and he slid his tongue into her warm mouth, his hands whent up to her neck and back of her head to steady her and guid her into the right position, it didnt take long before he felt her become more bold, and she pressed her tongue against his. His hands moved on their own and slid down her beautiful body, they ended their jurney on her ass and she felt how he grabed her buttcheeks in a firm grasp and pressed her down onto him. A soft moan escaped her lips and this drove him wild, he growled into her mouth and grabed her tighter as he got up to his feet, he felt how she wraped her bare legs around his waist and he carried her into the only bedroom he had seen. They both slumped down on the bed, him over her and he felt her ripp and tare at his shirt and he ripped her blouse open so the buttons flew, she was compleatly naked under, his hands covered her round full breasts, kneaded them until her nipples where hard, he replaced his left hand with his mouth and licked, kissed and sucked on the hard nipple, causing her to thremble and writ underneath him, his other hand whent under her skirt and pushed it further up, she wherent wearing any ladysgarments and he silently cheered, he easly found her already moist slit and started rubbing her clit, she gasped and clutched even harder at his sholders "mmmm" he hummed against the hard nipple " already so wet and ready for me" a moan escaped her and he took that as a green flag, he kissed down her stomach and pulled down her skirt, the heavy fabrick landed with a thud on the floor and he pushed her milky tighs further apart. He looked up at her and watched her as she phanted with open mouth, her eyes closed, her silky soft pale blond hair laying around her head in knots. His mouth got dry just looking at her, she was so gorgeous. His fingers opened her up and he ducked in between her tighs and licked her slit slowly, over and over, lapping up her sweet juices, he sucked onto her clit and she burried her hands into his hair, pushing him harder onto her core, he continued to tease her until he felt like she was about to fall over the edge, he released his grip around her tighs and got up, unbuttoning his trousers swifltly and climbing over her. He looked down at her and waited for her to open her eyes, when she did he had placed himself between her tighes, leaning on his elbows on each side of her head, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her plump soft red lips "are ya sure ya want this? ya dont wanna wait until yer married?" if she said no, that she didnt want him afterall, he was going to die, he was sure of it. He was so hard and ready, he was already dripping precum on her stomach. Her innocently gray orbes locked with his stormy blues, she just nodded and he moved slightly to position himself at her enterance. They where both thrembeling as he pushed himself slowly inside of her, he felt like exploding right then and there, she was so tight, ha had to really struggle to not just plow inside her and take her hard and fast. He heard her whimper and felt her grasp at his sholders, he stoped his movement and held back, he leaned down and kissed her "try to relax, it wount be so painfull. " he whispered against her lips, she cleanshed her eyes shut but nodded, and he pushed himself to the bottom of her, he felt how she tenced up and he where compleatly still, giving her time to adjust to him being inside of her. She smelled so good, she taste sweeter then anything he had ever tasted, he burried his head in the crock of her neck where he licked the skin up to her softspot, where he started nibbeling at the skin, he felt how she relax and another moan slipped over her lips, he moved his hips slowly, he slid in more easly this time, he wherent gonna last long, he knew, he slid his hand between their bodys again and found her clit and started rubbing it in slow circles, this made her start to writ and phant again, he felt how she tightened around him, and he felt she was close, he continued to suck and nibble on her neck "just let go, dont worry, its amasing" he phanted against her neck, struggeling with holding back himself. Suddenly it felt like a damn was opened and he felt how she let go and he felt how her body was tightening up and milking him, her whimpers and moans pushed him over his own edge and he plowed hard and fast into her, filling her compleatly as he came inside her, he colapsed ontop of her and he felt her heart race and beat as hard and fast as his own, both sweaty and phanting. "you where right, it was amasing" she whispered between gasps. He felt like he had just died and gotten to heaven, he pulled out of her and rolled over to his back, pulling her into his side, she rested her head on his chest and where drawing lazy circles on his stomach "is it always this amazing?" she asked, peaking up at him, he gave her a short smile "it can be" she looked at him curiously "with everyone? like it dosent matter who your doing it with?" Daryl leaned back on the pillow, closing his eyes, resting his left arm on his forhead "nah, its not like that with everyone" he was about to fall asleep when Lissy shot up in bed, hovering over him " have you felt like this before?" he opened his eyes and stared into her beautiful gray eyes and shook his head "nah.... yer special girl" she squeeled excitedly, she must be more drunk then he realized "are you serious?" he tugged on her arm " mhm" he murmered " now lay down and get some sleep" he sat up and pulled the bedcovers over them, as he wraped his arms around her "i dont wanna go to sleep" she said, her voice slightly pouty. He glanzed down at her "why not?" and he watched her snuggle closer into him, and felt how she placed a soft kiss on his jaw "becouse what if i wake up alone in bed tomorrow and all this was just a dream, and i have to go back to just studying you and dream of how it feels to kiss you" her confession made him grin, had she really been studying him, like he had been studying her, or even thought aboutt kissing him, just like he had been laying in the barn dreaming of kissing her "nah, girl, this aint a dream, its real.... im still gonna be here when ya wake up, maybe i can show ya more if yer up for it and not to sore....." he leaned down and kissed her slightly parted lips, he felt warm and fuzzy and shit doing it, just holding her in his arms like this made it easier to breath, like nothing els mattered. This was dangerous, he knew that.

Lissy woke up early, her mouth felt dry, but her head wasnt pounding like the last time she had gotten drunk by her self. She felt warm, she pushed the blanket down and her eyes landed on the hand that covered one of her breasts, then the memories from what had happened the night before flodded into her mind, he had not lied, he was here when she woke up, she studied his hand, he had beautiful manly hands, the kind of hands that was strong and could protect you. she turned slightly around in his arms, he was still sleeping, his breath was steady, he looked so young and carefree. She pushed his bangs back alitle, she studied his face, there where some small scars on his skin, but it didnt harm his looks, it only made him look more interesting. Her heart started racing, oh my god, she couldnt fall helplessly for him, she knew he was gonna leave her as soon the weather got warmer. But she could deffently enjoy having him in her bed right now, she thught, He moved onto his back and his arm pushed her closer into his side, she pushed the blanket back alittle and her gray orbs glided over his wide chest, down onto his slim hips. She thought back on the looks the woman in the store yesterday had given him. She understood why they looked at him like that, he was sinfully handsome, his body made her body go tingely all over, she remembered how hot she had gotten when she had slid down onto his lap at the dinner table last night, how she could feel him hardening under her, she wondered if it would happen again. She got up to her knees and then she slowly and carefully stradled his hips, carefully not to wake him right away, she wanted to explore him alittle while he was still sleeping, she sat down and rolled her hips alittle, tryingly at first, slowly, then she got alittle bolder and she pressed herself down on him alittle harder, she felt her clit rubb silghtly against him and she felt that tingely feeling from yesterday come back, she placed her hands on his chest and rolled her hips again, this time she felt him react to her movement, he was growing and hardning under her, she grinned to herself. She rolled her hips again and leaned her head back and closed her eyes, this feeling was so good. "looks like i awoken a beast last night" she heard a scruffy morning voice under hear, alittle startled she looked down at him, her eyes wide and a slight blush covering her cheeks "im sorry, i thought you where sleeping, ill go make you some breakfast" she said almost out of breath, she was about to climb off of him, but his hands gripped her hips and pressed her down "nah im hungry for other things girl, and ya can feed me right here in this bed" she watched as his lips parted into a naughty grin and his stormy blue eyes where glazed over with lust, he lifted her up slightly and grabed his cock and held it teasingly against her entrance, he pressed at her hips, making her sit back down, and she felt him slide inside of her, she moaned out loud and she started grinding and rolling her hips, she felt Daryl hands on her hips, guiding her into the right pace, he started to move his hips upwards and she felt how close she was getting. She phanted and threw her head back as his hands reached up and closed around her breasts, she exploded into a million pieces and collapsed over him, he turned them around so he was now laying between her tighes, she was still riding out her orgazam when he plowed into her reaching his own high. They where laying next to eachother still phanting when they heard the sounds of thundering hoves outside, they both jumped out of the bed and threw their clothes on, when they heard someone knock on the door. she smoothed down her hair and struggled with the buttons on her blous whild Daryl jumped around with one boot on, trying to look for the other. They where in total panick almost tripping over eachother when the door was pushed open and the sherrif and deputy walked in. They all stood frozen just looking at eachother, when the sherrif snapped out of the frozen state "Im sorry, when i didnt see any animals outside and no one answered i was afraid something had happened to you" he looked between Lissy and Daryl, who now stood compleatly still, both beet red in their faces. Daryl pushed passed the sherrif and the deputy "ill go tend to the horses miss Lissybeth". All three of them looked after Daryl as he walked out of the house " As you can see sherrif, everything is fine". She saw how Jack and the sherrifs eyes scanned the room from the empty bottle of burbon, the card deck on the table, the chair that was pushed over and into the messy bed and clothes on the floor. Sherrif Grimes moved closer to Lissy "are you sure your alright miss? " Jack grabed the sherrif arm and gave him a knowing look "i dont think theres a problem here, if you catch my drift" then it it dawned on the sherrife, it was a different kind of struggle that had been going on in the house. "Alright miss, wer " he cleard his voice a bit awkwardly "sorry for interupting" Lissys cheeks burned bright red as she stared at the floor . " We where just worried becouse we got news of what happened to a town called Golden Creek, and we wanted to warn you. " Lissy looked at both the sherrif and Jack "what happened?" she was thankful for the change of subject " The entire city was whiped out by the Dixon gang, the towns sherrif tried to arrest the youngest Dixon boy and the leaders brother for stealing horses, it offended the leader so much that he killed the entire town, burned down all the houses." Lissy gasped, "oh no, thats horrible" Jack nodded "yeah, the marshal came into town last night and he had seen the remains of the town with his own eyes, he said that the youngest Dixon boy got hurt and got seperated from the gang, the rest of the gang is now tearing up other towns to look for him. You know how those people stick together like glue. No one knows where he disaperad too, but the leader wants his son to be found, and he have threatened to gut the person hiding him" Lissy swallowd, the pieces of the puzzle where starting to come together in her head, she hoped that neither the sherrif or Jack would come to the same conclution as she did. " well thank you Sherrif, Jack, for the warning, i will be keeping my eyes open, but i am safe as you both can see". The sherrif rubbed his neck awkwardly and cleared his voice "Alright miss, well you know where to find us if ya need anythin" she nodded and more or less pushed them both out the door, she swiftly met Jacks brown eyes and she could see he knew what she now knew, but she hoped to all the gods that he would keep his suspicions to himself. She watched as they both got on their horses and rode out, she saw that all the horses where taken out, but she couldnt spot Daryl anywhere, had he been listening to their conversation and gotten spooked? She turned and walked inside the house, she lifted the chair and sat down, grabbing the empty bottle of burbon, wishing there where more left, it was just her luck that she had to fall for one of the Dixon bandits. What where she suppose to do now, she didnt hear the door being opened and closed, she was too deep in her own thoughts. "What did they want?" she looked up and met his steal blue stare, she swallowd "uhm, they just wanted to check on us" she said and watched how he took his pistolbelt down from the wall and fasten it around his hips "uh huuuh, they saw ya where fine yesterday in town" Lissy hated that she had to lie straight to his face, but she didnt want him to leave just yet "well i guess Mary Agnes told Jack, the deputy, that i was alittle upset about the rumors spreading around town" She saw Daryls eyes landed on the messy bed "i guess its not just rumors now, and i guess the sherrif and deputy just got it confirmed" Lissy swallowed and forced her self up from the chair and walked over to him, snaking her arms around his neck, she pulled him down so she could kiss his lips "well they can think and gossip about whatever they want, i dont really care, ive never felt apart of the town eitherway" She felt Daryl holding back at first but then he answered her kiss, snaking his arms around her and squeesed her ass. She pulled out of his embrace and moved to the fireplace "i better start on breakfast, i bet you are starving".


	5. Chapter 5

Another month had gone and christmas was just around the corner, Daryl was surprised at how fast they had gotten into the rutines of playing house, they each had their chores they did during the day, Lissy made him the most tasty meals he had ever tasted of the animals he hunted down in the forrest, at night they relaxed infront of the fire before they ended up in bed in hot passion, he had realized that this was the life he had always dreamed of, how he was gonna leave her as soon as the weather where getting warmer was beond him, it was gonna ripp both of them appart, he had tried to keep him self for caring for her, but it was useless, he had given up the fight, he felt like the luckiest bastard every night when she had fallen asleep on his chest, if only he was a free man, then he would drag this amazing woman to Blackstone church and marry her in an instant and never let her go, but he knew that it wasnt in his cards to do so. He had heard the rumors that his family was on the search for him, he had played with the thought of maybe track them down and give them the money and tell them he was gonna start a life on his own, but he knew that his pa, Will Dixon would never accept that, Dixons stuck together, no matter what. In two days it was christmas and he wanted to do something special for her, he was planing on going out hunting, maybe he got lucky and stumbled over a buck, she would be so happy, getting deer meat for the christmas dinner. He loved to see her eyes shining and a wide smile on her lips, he would do anything to watch that beautifull smile every day for the rest of his life. And with that thought he drifted off to sleep.

Jack walked into the jail house and was met by the marshall and sherrif Grimes, they both nodded to him as he sat down, the men had a serious look on their face and Jack felt his stomach turn. Sherrif Grimes turned to him " we have just gotten it confirmed that the man staying at Miss Lissybeths ranch is Daryl Dixon, we need to bring him in and then the marshal will bring him to the next county where he will stand trail and be hanged" Jack felt like he had just been punched in the gut, ever since he and Grimes had gone out to the ranch and cought Lissy and her ranch hand in bed, he had known it was one of the Dixon boys. He had recognized him from one of the posters that was hanging all over theire neighbour town. And when Grimes told Lissy about the rumors the marshal had told him, it all clicked in his head. He had pretended like nothing, hoping that the Dixon boy would be on the run before Grimes could figure it out on his own. He stared down into the table "if we go out there to arrest him it will crush Lissybeth, Mary Agnes said she have never seen Lissybeth this happy" Grimes sighed and the marshal pushed out his chest " we cant think og a womans feelings when we have a killer and a rapist on our hands here, you dont know what this guy is capable of, i was there, in Golden Creek, i saw kids had been hanged, i saw woman tied up naked, they had burned down the entire town" Jacks fiery anger flared up "Its not just some damn woman, marshal, and the guy have been living on her ranch, alone with her and not even so much broken a hair on her pretty little head, i dont doubt for a secound that the rest of the Dixon gang is killers and rapists and what not, but not this guy, he have taken care of Lissy and protected her for over two months now". The marshal grinned and Jack cleanshed his jaw "yeah ive heard about what kind of ranch she is running out there, and that makes it more obvious that it is Daryl Dixon we have on our hands, its well known that they only socialise with whores!" Grimes started to say something, but Jacks anger had now turned into white hot rage, the woman was his friend, his fianceˋs bestfriend, and he knew that LIssy was nothing like what the ugly rumors where saying. He stood up so quickly that the chair crashed to the floor behind him "ya be carefull about what ya say about her, ya hear. She is a respectable young lady, from a well known and respectable family, the rumors are just that, rumors, its not true. You dont know what Lissybeth have been through, she runs the best horse ranch in this county" The sherrif tried to calm Jack down, but the marshal refused to be talked down to by a deputy " she is also hiding a wanted man! It is a crime on its own, she should be hanged right next to him!" Now Grimes was on his feet, turned towards the marshal "now calm down, from my knowledge miss LIssybeth have no idea that she have hired a Dixon to help her out on her ranch. " The marshal calmed down a bit "Well eitherway we need to go out there and arrest him before he escapes" the marshal hoisted his trousers up on his large belly, proud of himself that he would be the one bringing in one of the Dixon boys. Jack lifted the chair back up " cant we atleast wait until after christmas?", but the marshal wouldnt budge " the sooner we capture him, the sooner he will dangle and justice will be served! We go out there now!" The marshal marched out of the prison and Jack turned to his boss and friend "what are we gonna do? this will destroy her!" Grimes sighed and shruged "theres really not much we can do, if it hadnt been for all the gossip going around town, he would never have sniffed out that the Dixon boy where only an houer away, and he would have gone to the next town to search for him. And im afraid we will have a bigger problem on our hands when the marshal brings in Daryl. He will brag about it to everyone who bothers to listen, and the news will soon spread all the way over the mountain pass and that will bring the Dixon gang right into our lap." Jack nodded, we need to get him out of town before he can brag about it to anyone. Grimes nodded and the two men followed after the marshal.

Lissy heard horses outside and lifted her rifle before she stepped out onto the porch, she had her rifle aimed at the man infront wearing all black "what brings you men out here so close to christmas, and with a marshal?" They all got down from their horses and tied them to the post next to her porch, the three men stepped up onto the porch. "thats close enough until you all explain your buisness here" she said, still aiming at the marshal. Jack took a step closer to her and grabed her rifle "Lissy, we dont want any trouble, we need to speak with your ranch help, Daryl, is he here?" Lissy knew what that ment, they had figured out who he was and they where here to arrest him, she was tempted to tell them that Daryl had left that morning, but she knew she couldnt, they would soon figure out she was lying and then she would be brought in as well. "heˋs out hunting, he have been gone all morning, he will probably be back soon" The marshal gave the other two men a wide grin "did ya hear that boys, i guess we will just wait for the man inside then, im sure the pretty little miss will offer us something to drink while we are waiting" the man pushed passed Lissy like he owned the place, and both Jack and Grimes sent her apologetic looks, Lissy was almost growling as she saw the marshal was sat in Daryls chair at the end of the table, his black stetson lazely thrown onto the table. Lissy grabed three tincups and placed them down infront of the three men, oh she was really gonna give Jack a piece of her mind the next time she cought him alone, or Grimes for that matter, it didnt matter much to her. She grabed the hot kettle off the fire and filled the cups with coffe, she saw the marshal was wrinkeling his nose in disgust " dont you have anything stronger miss?" Lissy had her jaws so hard cleanshed so she was damn sure everyone in the room could hear it "i dont know what kind of place this is marshal, but i assure you, this is my house and not a damn saloon, you can drink what i offer, if thats not good enough for you then i suggest you drag your ass back to town" the marshal lifted his gaze, she could see the man was deeply offended, becouse his chin was literarly jiggeling "you watch your tongue miss! I know all about your ranch and what kind of buisness you run here!" Lissys eyes where cold as ice as she took a step closer to the marshal, the hot kettle dangerously swining in her hand, right then the door swung open and Daryl walked in. He closed the door and his eyes whent wide when he eyed the three men sitting around Lissys table. He was about to turn and run out of the door, when he heard the familular click from the pistol hammer being pulled back. "Daryl Dixon you are under arrest for horse and cettle theft, bank robbery, rape and killing 25 men and woman!" The marshal where now ignoring Lissy and was now moving around the table and grabbing Daryl in the arm, bending both his hand behind his back. Lissy could just stand back and watch as the marshal cuffed his hands together and pushed Daryl outside onto the porch so hard that he stumbled and fell down the stairs, the marshal dragged him up at his feet. Grimes followed suit, Jack to had gotten up from his chair and gave Lissy an apologetic look "im truly sorry Lissy, i really didnt want this to happen" Lissy followed the men outside and saw how the marshal was tying a rope to Daryls iron cuffs and then tied the other end of the rope to his saddle. Panick threatened to squeese her heart into a million pieces "wait, let me saddle his horse up" she shouted at the marshal, but the man only laughed a sickening laugh "that wount me nessesary miss, this scumbag dog can use his legs back to town!" Lissy grabed sherrif Grimes arm "you guys cant be serious? the snow is too deep, you cant drag him all the way into town!" her voice had reached a panick struck high pitch, her frantick wide eyes flickered between Jack and the sherrif. The sherrif cleared his voice " it wount hurt to let the man get on his horse" he said as he walked up to the marshal, the marshal turned to sherrif "if he dies on the way into town, then we will be spared the hastle of a trail" Lissy couldnt belive what she heard, she tried to make it passed Jack and down to Daryl where he was standing only in his shirt shivering from the cold, his pistol belt was removed and the sherrif gave them to Jack, Jack grabed the pistolbelt and pushed it into Lissys stomach as he held her back, stopping her from running up to Daryl, he leaned in and whispered " you hold on to the mans guns, he might need them later on" Lissy looked confused up at Jack, but Jack let her go and walked over to his horse and got up just the same time as the sherrif. She kept staring at Daryl, hoping that he would look at her just one last time, but the marshal pushed his heals into his horses flanks and the horse started trotting, the rope janked Daryl and he had to run to keep up. Hot tears ran down her cheeks and when they all disapeard out of her sight she walked into her house and colapsed at the floor.

Daryl was pushed harshly into a prisoncell, he colapsed on the bunkbed, his body was shivering hard from the cold, his clothes was dripping wet from the snow he had been draged through half the way into town, he had lost his stetson hat and his hair was now hanging down wet and frozen to his face, he was shivering so hard he thought his teeth would break, he couldnt feel his hands and feet no more. He just sat on the bunkbed, with his arms around himself. The marshal was a real asshole, he could hear how happy he was about his deed "Now boys, what yall say, we go over to the saloon and treat us selfs to some fine burbon, the ride made me a bit chilly, that ranch whores coffe didnt hit the spot, maybe if i pay her another visit before i drag this dog out of town she will be more willing to bring out the good stuff". Daryls blood was boiling, he scowled over at the marshal from under his frozen bangs, he was gonna enjoy killing that son of a bitch for talking about his woman like that. Daryl cursed at himself, she was deffently not his woman now, now she knew who she had been bedding for the last month, she probably hated him. He should have told her. He couldnt shake how terrefied she had looked as the marshal cuffed him and pushed him outside. Daryl heard the door being shut and he thought he was left alone in the cell, but then he heard the cell door being opened and he glanzed up through his bangs, the deputy was standing infront of him with a wool blanket, the man draped it around his sholders and he clutched at it with his numb hands, the deputy leaned against the bars, his arms crossed over his chest "you didnt hurt her did you?" Daryl looked up at him, not really sure what the man was asking, offcourse he had hurt her, he had kept his real identety from her, he had led her to belive that she had a future with him. It was almost like the man could read his mind, he shook his head slightly " i mean you didnt force yourself on her?" Daryl shook his head, he wanted to explain himself, tell the man that he cared to much about her, but he couldnt speak, his teeth where still shattering, he tried to cleansh his jaws shut "do you care about her?" Daryl stared at the floor, but nodded "yeah i thought so, shes a dear friend of mine and my fiance, if you where a free man, would you right by her?" Daryl looked up again with a scowl, but nodded, earning a grin from the deputy as he walked out of the cell and locked it again. "try to get some sleep, you should probably remove those wet clothes or els you would probably catch a nasty cold, might end your life before the marshal gets the chanse to bring you to trail" the deputy continued, Daryl stared at him between the bars as the deputy whent over and sat down in the chair. It almost sounded like the man wanted him to catch a cold. The door flew open and a woman walked in, Daryl watched as she threw herself around the deputys neck and kissed him passionatly on the lips, he recognized the woman as Lissys friend, the deputy pushed the woman slightly away " not now Mary, we got company" the woman turned and looked straight at him, he could see the recognition in her eyes "oh my godness, isnt that Lissys man?" the deputy nodded and hummed confirmativ "yeah, the marshal just brought him in. Claiming that he one of the Dixon boys, but ive seen the posters, and he dosent look like one of them at all." the woman turned her back to him " is Lissy alright?" she asked, worry latched to her light voice, "Lissy was a bit shook up, but shes strong, you know that, i have a feeling it wount be long until she comes into town to give me and Grimes hell" The woman, Mary, laughed "That sounds like Lissy, what is gonna happen to him?" Mary looked back at Daryl " well, if he dont catch a nasty cold from being draged through the deep snow all the way into town, then the marshal will bring him in for a trail and he would probably be sentenced to death by hanging" Daryl heard the woman gasp "why? what have he done?" the deputy shruged, the marshal claims he have killed 20 something men, stolen a couple of horses and rape" the woman gasped again " but he have lived with Lissy for over two months now" Daryl had overheard their conversation, he pushed the words over his cold stiff lips "its a lie..... ill admit to the stealing of the horses, i have never killed a man that wasnt threatening me or one of my family first, but the numper isnt nearly as high as 20, and only one woman, slit ˋer throat so my paˋs boys wouldnt torture ˋer to death, it was faster that way, painless. Ive never touched an unwilling woman" both the deputy and the woman turned towards him "and ive never hurt or forced my self onto your friend." the deputy looked at his fiance " did you hear the man just confess into some horrible crimes? " Daryl didnt quite get the deputy strange behaviour, his fiances answer confused him even more " oh my, he must be getting sick, maybe the fever is making him delerious, it sure works fast" Daryls anger flared up, they where talking about him like he was retarded, he pushed him self up on his feet, and shuffled his way over against the bars, he had to cleansh his hands around the steel bars to keep himself standing " are ya two def or something, i just told ya what ive done, so ya better run off to the marshal and make sure he gets his story straight" The deputy moved up to the bars and stared Daryl dead in the eyes "im not gonna do shit, and you keep your mouth shut and get some sleep or ill come in there and cut out that tongue of yours so youll be forced to keep your mouth shut" the deputy tone was threatening, Daryl felt drained and shuffled back to the bunkbed and slumped down on it, he pulled the blanket around himself, it didnt take long until he fell asleep from the exhaustion.

Lissy had spent almost two nights and three days in bed, crying and wrapping her arms around the pillow Daryl had used. The same empty and numb feeling she had suffered through when her family where slayed down had overtaken her body, she only forced herself out to take care of the horses and then returned to her bed. The third day she had gotten out of bed, her mind was still numb but her body functioned on her own, she had gotten dressed and saddled up her mare and she rode into Blackstone. She left her horse at the rental stable and walked over to the jailhouse, she needed to see him one more time. Luckely the asshole of a marshal wherent there when she pushed the door open, only the sherrif and her friend Jack where there, sitting at the sherrifs desk talking quietly, they both got quiet when she walked into the room, she met their eyes "i want to see him!" she demanded, she saw how Jack and Grimes exchanged looks before Grimes nodded and Jack got up to his feet and unlocked the prison cell, Lissy walked straight passed him and into the small cell, Daryl was laying on the hard bunkbed with a blanket pulled over him, she could see how his body was shivering and she sat down next to him on the bed, she grabed his sholder and shook it "Daryl?" she cept her voice low, but he didnt react to her, she got up to her feet and leaned over to get a look at him, his hair was dripping wet from sweat, his face was pale but his cheeks where flaming red, she brushed the back of her hand over his forhead and gasped, she turned towards the two men who where now standing in the cell door "he is burning up! you need to fetch the doctor" Jack moved into the cell "we know Lissy, he came down with a cold two days ago, the doctor have been here, but he wount do shit, couse the marshal have ordered him to stay away" Lissy looked back at Daryl "have he gotten anything to drink, or eat?" Grimes cleared his voice and placed his hands on his hip " Jacks fiance have been here four times aday since he fell ill, she forces him to drink and eat, wer doing what we can to keep him alive" Lissy nodded and whent back to Daryls side, she shook his sholder again, this time he rolled over on his back, he opened up his eyes slightly and looked at her with feverish eyes, Lissy gave him a short smile before she directed her gaze at Jack and Grimes "would you two give us a minute?" they both nodded and left the cell, both men whent outside. Lissy met Daryls eyes, "im sorry" he whispered and it nearly broke her heart "shhh dont talk, i wish you would have told me, but i kind of knew, i figured it out, all that money, you being shot and on the run. Knowing what your family name is dosent change how i feel about you, it dosent change the person ive gotten to know and love." Daryl tried to smile, he grabed her hand and made her lean over him "the money, use it, expand the ranch, hire people to help ya" Lissy leaned over him and kissed his lips softly "shhh, dont talk Daryl, just rest and try to get better, it seems like Jack is cooking up a plan and you need all the streangth you got, i wount let them hang you" Daryl closed his eyes again and rolled over, it didnt take long before she could hear his shallow breaths getting heavier. She walked out of the cell and signalized for the others to come back in.

Jack had gone through the plan he had with the sherrif, now he had to fill in Lissy, Mary Agnes and her pa, the towns priest. He took Lissy over to Mary Agnesˋs house and both girls whent into the kitchen to talk and Jack knocked on the priests study, he waited until he heard "enter" before he pushed the door open and walked in. The priest looked up at him and he broke into a smile "Jack, what a wonderfull surprise, have a seat son" the priest waved his hand towards one of the chairs on the other side of his desk. Jack sat down on the edge of the chair and held his stetson between his hands "Sir, i need to talk to you, i guess you can say im in need for some advice and guidence" The priest nodded his head, he could easly see that the young man who was bethrode to his only daughter had something on his heart "continue son, what burdens you so?" Jack sighed, where was he gonna start "Sir, its Lissy, she is in need of our help, and that help might change our plans and our lifes. I know you hold miss Lissybeth close to your heart, since she is Mary Agnesˋs friend and you knew her parants well" The priest nodded "Yes son, her parants donated a great deal of fonds to the towns church" Jack knew this already and just nodded " You have probably heard the rumors around town about Lissy, i can asure you it is not true. She have held a man at her ranch, but she hired him to help her out running the ranch, the thing is they fell in love, and from what i learned to know talking to the man, he wants to marry her" the priest broke into a smile " i knew those rumors wherent true, this is splendid news, we will have two spring weddings, this town will celebrate for days" Jack quickly lifted his gaze and met the priests golden brown eyes " no sir, i am afraid we cant afford to wait until spring. The marshal have gotten it into his head that the man im talking about is the youngest Dixon boy, he arrested the man and planing on bringing him over to the next county to make him stand trail and hang him The man of god gasped, he was well aware of the Dixons reputation, everyone knew. "Lord have merchy on all of us if he do" The priest said and Jack nodded his head, his brown eyes serious "I have come up with a plan, that i might think can save all of us. I just need alittle help from you?" The priest looked quiscally at Jack "What is on your mind son?" Jack rubbed his now sweaty hands on his tighs, it was now or never, the priest and the sherrif being the two of the most important key player in his little plan. "First of all i need you to wed me and Mary Agnes," he saw the priest was about to object so he lifted his hand to stop the priests objections "I want to move Mary Agnes out of town, she will be safe on miss LIssybeths ranch, i am going to retire from the position as deputy and work on LIssybeths ranch instead, to help her out, Mary Agnesˋs reputation would be destroyed if she lived at the farm without being wed to me, just like you know Lissybeths reputation was destroyed." The priest nodded, just as serious in his face as Jack "Yes, her parants would turn in their graves if they knew how this town have treated their daughter" Jack nodded "I belive there is more to your plan then just to marry my daughter, son?" Jack placed a small box on the desk between them and the priest silently asked premission to have a look at what was inside, Jack nodding, the priest opened the little box and looked at the two golden wedding bands that was laying on a velvet qussion, the priest let his thumb rubb over the metal before he closed the box and placed it back on the table. "Please continue" Jack inhaled sharply "You know how the Dixons will come and tear this town apart if the news reaches their ears that Will Dixons son is sitting in our prison waiting to be sentenced to death by hanging. " the priest nodded and folded his hands infront of him on the desk " Because of the marshals actions the man we have arrested have fallen very ill. He have a high fever, and you can hear his lungs is filled with water from his shallow breaths, the marshal have refused the doctor to see him, i highly doubt the man will pull through on his own" The priest cocking his brow looking at Jack, it was a while since a young strong man had died from a simple flue, Jack continued " I know the marshal wount argue with a man of god, so i need you to declare him dead, i will contact the undertaker to be ready and fetch the body when you are done, since we dont know if he is baptised then he will not be burried at the towns cemetary, but i guess Lissy would want him burried on her land, since he ment so much to her." The priest leaned back in his chair and pulled a hand over his face "What about the mans family, how will they be notefied of his passing?" This was the hard part of his plan, he would hope to god it would work " well i bet that the marshals bragging about him sitting in our prison have reached their ears and that they are on their way over the montain pass as we speak, you will hold a small ceremony out on the ranch, i will spread some rumors about it around town, but we need to work fast. We will hold the ceremony out in the open so its easly spotted from the hills surounding the ranch" The priest nodding, he folded his hands again, "when are you going to put this plan into action?" Jack closed his eyes slightly "tonight, sir". The priest pushed his chair away from the desk " you are planing on marrying my daughter to night? what about the plans of a big ceremony?" Jack shook his head "i am truly sorry sir, but we wount have time for that" Just then Mary Agnes walked into the room, she had clearly been listening at the door, Jack looked consearned behind Mary Agnes to see if Lissybeth had heard the plan as well, but she didnt follow "oh daddy, i do not need a big ceremony to be happy, all i wish for is to be married to Jack and live as his wife, that will make me happy!" Mary Agnes fell to her knees infront of her pa, clutching his hands while a couple of tears escaped her eyes and made their way down her cheek. Jack had to bite the inside of his cheek, whatt a brilliant preformance from his soon to be wife, Lissybeth walked in and sent Jack a questioned look, Jack silently told her to keep quiet. The priests golden brown eyes melted as he stared into his daughters golden orbes, he whiped the tears away with his thumbs before he got to his feet and pulled Mary Agnes up as well "how can i denie my only child her true happiness?" he asked retorically and pulled her into a tight embrace "oh daddy, i love you so much, thank you" Mary whispered chocked up with tears. The priest kissed his daughters forhead and reached out his hand to Jack, who shook the old mans outstreatched hand "i know you will be a fine husband to my little daisy" Jack nodded as both woman squeeled happily and hugged.

They had a private ceremony that night with miss Lissybeth, sherrif Grimes and his wife as vitnesses, they all ate supper together to celebrate. As they parted Jack pulled sherrif Grimes to the side "thank you for helping me with this" Jack said, Grimes nodded "i take it that the old man is on board, since he let you marry his daughter this quick" Jack nodded. Rick pulled a hand through his curly brown hair " we need to act quick before the Dixon gang comes on knocking on our doorstep" Jack nodded "I just need the woman safly placed back at the ranch, i will take them out to morrow morning with Mary Agnes belongings and then i will come back, lets hope the boy havent gotten any better, try and keep the marshal away from the prison while im gone " Rick rested his hands on his hip " i cant wait to get that man out of town, his bragging is driving me insane" Jack nodded agreeingly "it wount be long" they said their good byes and Grimes guided his wife down the street. Jack turned to his new wife "Go pack your belongings, we will leave at dawn" Mary Agnes beamed up at him and got on her toes to kiss his lips softly. Jack enjoyed the sweet kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

Will Dixon sat in the brothels parlor nipping to his burbon, surrounded by beautiful young half naked girls, probably younger then his son Merle, but Will didnt care, he enjoyed the young beauty. He looked across the table and onto his baby brother, he studied his baby brothers features, his dark brown hair, the mans darker shade of blue eyes then his own. The mans lean body, there where so meny things that..... His trails of thoughts where interupted as his oldest son Merle walked into the parlor "Pa, i have news about Daryl?" he said as he chuged off the fresh snow that was coating his jacket " what news boy?" Will looked over at his son, Merle looked so much like him, the pale blue eyes, the blond short hair, the muscular frame, his brash attetued, the boy was truly his fathers son. "What boy? cat got yer tongue? im not gettin any younger here, come on spit it out?" Will barked. Merle walked further into the parlor " the rumors has it that a marshal have arrested him and is holding him in a town called Blackstone on the other side of the montain pass, he will bring him to the next county to hang him" Wills pale blue eyes darkened, people who knew Will Dixon was well aware that it was the first sign of trouble. Will leaned back into his chair and leaned his head back as he placed the glass of burbon to his lips and emptied the glass in one gulp, he then patted the young whoreˋs ass who where perched up on his chairs armrest "be a good girl and show my son a good time, darlin" the whore quickly got up from her place next to Will and twirled her curvy body into Merles arm and pulled him up the stairs before the boys old man changed his mind. Will looked over at his babybrother who met his stare with a cocked brow, after a while of the staring competition, Will lost his patience "Whats on ya mind baby brother?". Pat cleared his voice "what are ya gonna do about this, are we gonna head out and check if the rumors are correct?". Will could see how his baby brother where itching to jump on his horse. He twirled the empty glass between his callous fingers " There have been alot of rumors since Daryl disaperad almost three months ago. Im tired of chasing ghosts, im not as young as i once was" Pat leaned over the table, catching his older brothers pale stare " they are gonna hang your son and you dont even bother to go get him out of trouble?" Will smirked, Pat was leaning on both his hands, his brown tresses falling into his face and he had that same scowling look that Daryl usually gave him if he didnt agree with his desitions, Whill sighed " why is it babybrother that you are so eager to jump to the boys rescue?" Pat looked at him dumbfonded "are you kidding me? if they threatened to hang Merle, you would tear up the town to get to him" Will nodded agreeingly "you are right, i would, no one touches or chromes a hair on my own flesh and blood" Will saw the confusion written in Pats eyes, and he was puzzled how his normally so bright and clever brother had not put the pieces together yet. He remembered when he had first heard about the young boy and when he had reached the brothel he had seen the resembelings between his son Merle and the young boy, who at the time had a mob of blond hair. As the boy grew into his teens, his hair had turned darker, almost brown, his eyes blue as the skye abow, he kept the lean body and never filled out like Merle had done at the same age, there where so meny simularities between his brother and Daryl. When it had dawned on him, he had not gotten mad, the boy was his blood afterall, even if he might not be his son, he didnt blame his brother either, it was not unusual for them to share whores, what had annoyed him through the years was his brother lack of responsibility. He never stepped up and claimed the boy alltough Will have had his fun to try to push his baby brother to do so by letting the young boy go through hell in his teens. But Pat never did, he stood on the sidelines and watched as Will whipped the boy with his belt, how he poked the boy with burning sticks. Pat shook his head, Will could see the distress that was riding his brothers ass "if your so consearned about the boy, then take a few guys and ride over to Blackstone and check it out" Will said, almost tempted to call his brother out on who the boys father truly was. He saw the relieve written in those sky blue eys of his. "I will take Harley and Dan with me, we will leave at dawn." Will just waved him off and filled his empty glass "make sure yer kid brings back my money" he said as he sipped the brown liquid, he saw from the crook of his eyes how his brothers sholders tenced and he slowly turned towards Will "What did ya just say?" Will heard the worry latched to Pats usual horas voice, Will was tired beating around the bush and got up to his feet "ya heard me baby brother, make sure yer kid brings back my money!" Pat sky blue orbes flickered over the room, the rest of the gang was aperantly listening in on their conversation, Pat stepped closer to Will "My kid?" his voice had suddenly reached a high pitch "thats right, we both know that the boy is a spittin image of yer ugly mug, he takes after ya in all, yer hand with guns and horses, hell he even takes after ya when it comes to poker, the only thing he is lacking is yer way with the ladys, the boy is so shy that only a smile from a woman sends him runnin" Pat just stared at him and he gave Pat a friendly punch in the sholder "git yer ass upstairs and get some shut eye". He watched as Pat stumbled towards the stairs, still shocked as he made his way up to one of the empty rooms. Will turned his attention back at his gang, suddenly well aware that his family buisness had just been put on display for the whole gang "mind yer own buisness ya filthy sons of bitches, this aint non of yalls buisness" Will barked before he took his place in front of the fireplace, the room started buzzing again and Will leaned his head back and closed his eyes, happy he could still sweap the rugg from under his baby brothers feet.

Jack had brought the wagon back to town, the temperature had dropped again, he walked up to the jailhouse while he rubbed his hands together to try to get the feeling back and chase away the frost bites, he pushed the door open and was met by a pasing Grimes "Oh good, your back" he said. Jack looked over to the man laying on the bunkbed " how is he?" Grimes whent over to the cell and unlocked it and let Jack go inside " he have been delirious all morning" Jack nodded and with only one look at the man he could see that he was still feverish, he sat down and shook the mans sholder, forcing the man awake "Daryl you need to wake up and listen carefully" the man stirred awake and looked at him with tired glazed over blue eyes, he had been sick for a week now and it was starting to worry Jack. "Are you listening?" Daryl nodded weakly. "Im gonna get you out of here and bring you up to a cabbin in the woods. But in order for me to make that happen we have to pretend that you died from the flue, the priest will come and declear you dead, the undertaker is gonna be with him and they are gonna wrap you up in a cloth and move you to the morgue, ill come get you and bring you up to the cabbin tonight, but you cant make a sound, the marshal have to think your dead, understood?" Daryl nodded again. Jack was about to get up from the side of the bunkbed when Daryl grabed his hand, surprisingly strong " Does Lissy know about yer plan?" his voice horas and barely a whisper, Jack shook his head "its for the best that she thinks your dead, she is the first the marshal will question if he suspect faul play." Jack took a breather before he continued " i suspect your pa and his gang is on the way here, we need to make them belive your dead too, to make them leave the town alone. Once your streangth is back youll leave the cabbin and not return to this town again, youll get a chanse to start your life over somewhere els" Jack watched as his words sunk in, Daryl swallowd and nodded. "Protect ˋer" Jack grabed his hand reasuringly "i will" he then walked out and met Grimes eyes "are you ready?" Rick Grimes nodded "ill go fetch the priest then" Rick nodded, not bothering to lock the cell door.   
The marshal stomped into the jailhouse just as the undertaker had finished wrapping Daryls body up in the white cloth. "What on earth is going on here?" he shouted, eyeing the priest standing beside the undertaker holding the bible in his hands looking down on the wrapped body laying on the bunkbed. Grimes turned to the marshal "he died early this morning, we think it was sickness in the lungs" , The marshal cursed loudly, but remembered that the priest was in the room "im sorry father" he said apolegetically. He moved out of the way when Jack and the undertaker carried the body out of the door and placed it on the carriage. Jack then walked into the jailhouse "i guess we better take the sheets and blankets out and burn it" he said quietly and Grimes nodded. The marshal hit his stetson against his tigh "the son of a bitch, i was looking forward to watch the little shit dangle" Both Grimes and Jack sent the man angry scowls, they couldnt belive the mans unsensetivity. The marshal face broke into a wide grin "well no need to let this little insedent ruin a good new years eve, ill be over at the saloon if you should need me" Grimes nodded and closed the door after the man. He turned and Jack and Grimes just looked at eachother.

Lissy and Mary Agnes had just sat down to eat theire supper, but Lissy where just stirring her spoon around in the stue, Mary Agnes gave her a worried look, she had not seen Lissy like this since her parants died "Are you alright Lissy?" Lissy looked up at Mary Agnes almost surprised to see her friend there next to her "im just worried, i have a feeling that something is just not right, and i wish Jack would have let me see him just one more time before he drove us out here yesterday" Mary Agnes nodded, Lissy missed Daryl so much, she replayed the days they had spent together in her head over and over. Lissy felt Mary Agnes hand reasuringly on her hand " I am sure everything is fine Lissy, i know Jack and sherrif wount let them hang him, you have to trust in them" Lissy nodded "i know, but i just think it is weird that Jack have been gone so long, i mean shouldnt he be back by now?" She saw the worry latched into her friends eyes as well, but she still managed to give Lissy a smile "offcourse i worry, but i know my Jack, he will come back when he can, there is no place in the world he rather be, than here with us" Lissy snorted "you mean here with you?!?, you two are afterall newlyweds, you two should have been spending the past two days in bed exploring eachother" Mary Agnes blushed deeply and waved off Lissy, but Lissy remembered that night she had built up currage to seduce Daryl and how amazing that night and morning had been, for a man of very few words, who where so rough around the edges and so shy around her, he was verry considerate and gentle with her between the sheets. She would have never guessed that his mouth and hands could be so gentle and turn her into a shivering and thrembeling mess.

Jack had arranged a small ceremony out at the ranch with the priest in a few days time, the rumors where spread around town, allthough he doubted that anyone els then Lissy, his wife and the shrrife and the priest would show up. No one really had gotten to know Daryl while he lived out at the ranch and when they heard he where a Dixon the hate towards him had rolled over the town. He had to shake his head to the stupidity of the people living there. He had then sneaked his way into the morgue and smuggled Daryl out during the night and brought him up to the cabbin, Rick Grimes had helped him stack up the cabbin with food and water, so that Daryl could survive on his own, it had been a struggle to move such a delerious and sick man, but they had managed. Daryl had colapsed on the small bed in the cabbin and fallen asleep in an instant. Jack placed a mug of water and some dried beefjerky next to the bed, if he didnt have the streangth to get it him self, then he had jumped on his horse and rode all the way down to town. There he had spent the night at his father in law, Grimes was already there when he walked into the house, and the three men had gone through the rest of the plan. He had stopped by the store and ordered limber and everything he needed to build a small house out on the ranch, he and his wife could not continue to live in Lissys house, not if they wanted alittlebit of privacy. He was verry eager to start a family with his beautiful wife afterall. Jack had also stopped by the newspaper and the postal office to send out telegrams and a add that the ranch was now hirering help. He had started on his way out of town just as dusk set, he knew it was risky riding out to the farm in the dark with that much snow, but he couldnt wait one more night to go back, he was itching to hold Mary Agnes in his arms again.   
He placed his horse in the stable and mentally preperad himself to bring the ladys the bad news, he knew this would crush Lissy, but making her think Daryl was dead would make the plan more belivable. The marshal where probably gonna come out and supervise the burrial, to make sure the boy was really six feet under before he returned to his own town. He watered his horse and gave it hay before he inhaled sarply and walked back to the house. He walked in and saw the two woman sitting at the table with supper infront of them. They both looked up as he walked in and met his eyes. They both looked worried, Mary Agnes swiftly walked over to him and threw herself in his arms and he kissed her deeply, but Lissy broke the silence "Are there any news? Is he getting better?" she asked hopefully, Jack looked at her apolegetically "im sorry Lissy, i wish i could have better news for you, but he past yesterday morning, on newyears day" he felt how Mary Agnes left his waist and he heard her gasp, but his eyes was fixed on Lissy. He saw how she literarly crumbled up infront of him, tears welled up in her eyes and she pressed the back of her hand against her lips, then a heart wrecking sob escaped her. Jack walked towards the table and slid down on a chair "im really sorry Lissy, but the marshal wouldnt let the doctor see him, we guess he died from sicknes of the lungs." Mary Agnes was by her friends side holding her arms around her, comforting her while the blond woman sobbed into her sholder. For a while it was only the sobbs that could be heard threw the small house, but Mary Agnes, practical as she could be cleared her voice " will he be burried at the cemetary in town?" Jack shook his head "your pa said there would be a riot in town if an outlaw like him was burried next to their loved ones. I agree, we dont want body snatchers running aruond at night trying to digg him up. Your pa and me, and sherrif Grimes thought it was best if he was brought out here and burried on Lissys land, afterall it was here he spent his last part of his life, and knowing how Lissy felt about him and what he told me he felt about Lissy i think it is only fair that he is laid to rest here" Mary Agnes nodded aprovingly. Lissy looked up and whiped her cheeks with shakey hands "when?" Jack took off his stetson and placed it on the table in front of him "tomorrow afternoon, the ground out back is probably to frozen, so i say we find a good spot out at the edge of the forrest where its not much snow, the threes are too thick, we will prolly manage to digg in that soil" He watched Lissy get to her feet and then she walked into the bedroom she had shared with Daryl, they saw how she just crawled into the bed fully clothed and layed down, she wraped her arms around the pillow and sobbed quietly into the fabric. Jack lifted his gaze and stared into Mary Agnes warm golden ponds "are you hungry?" she asked, he nodded and she placed a bowl of stue infront of him.

Pat leaned into the bar and swirled the glass of burbon between his long but lean fingers. Harley and Dan had already disaperad up at the secondfloor. Pat had told them to keep a low profile, he wanted to find out if the rumors where true. The saloon was as good of a place as any to start, people always started to talk more freely with alittle burbon in their bellys. As soon as he had sat down and a glass of burbon was placed infront of him he had noticed the marshal. The mans voice boomed out into the room, Pat had more then once rolled his eyes from the mans bragging. He had been tempted to stand up and put a bullet between the mans eyes, just to make the man shut up, but he bit the inside of his cheek to keep calm. Suddenly the marshal stood up from the card table " Well boys, this have been fun, but i have a funural to attend. Gotta make sure the filthy dog gets burried and his slut isnt hiding him at the ranch", Pat watched from the crock of his eye the man put his stetson on his head and march outside. He knocked on the counter and signalized to the owner of the bar that he wanted a refil, when the man walked over to where he was sitting he looked at the man "Someone died resently?". The owner leaned both of his hands on the counter " The marshal claimed that the young man working at miss Lissybeths ranch was non other then one of the Dixon boys, he whent out there and arrested the young man and draged the poor boy trhough the snow all the way into town behind his horse, i saw it myself. The boy was wet and frozen to the bone when the marshal locked him up behind bars. The marshal havent stopped bragging about it. Pat clenshed his jaws tightly but remained calm, the owner continued " The boy fell ill, the sherrif and deputy did what they could to help the young man, the deputys wife where there four times aday to make the man eat and drink, but the marshal refused to let the doctor come see him." Pat swallowed not liking where this story was heading " The boy died?" he asked coldly, the saloon owner nodded " three days ago, on new years eve" Pat sighed and felt a claw squeeze around his chest "dˋya know what the boyˋs name was?" The owner started whiping down the counter "Heard miss Lissybeth call him Daryl" Pat squinted his eyes "Ya sure it was Daryl?" the owner just nodded, Pat was gripping around the glass so hard it almost broke in his hand "What he look like? Tall, brown hair, lean body?" The owner nodded " wheres the ranch to this miss Lissybeth?" the owner stoped whiping and looked at the man infront of him " only an houer ride from town, west, its just between Blackriver and Blackstone" Pat nodded and gulped down the burbon, the owner cleared his voice "do you know the young man?" Pat slamed the glass down at the counter "itˋs my boy". The owner of the saloone literly droped his jaw as he stared at the man "tell my boys to wait here for me, looks like i have to burrie my son" the owner just nodded and watched as Pat walked out of the saloon.  
Pat knew the marshal was at the ranch, so he kept his distance until he saw the people moving back to the main house on the ranch, it looked like his son, it still felt weird to think of Daryl as his own son and not his nephew, although he had used alot of years wondering, when his older brother had said it out loud it suddenly became real, anyways it looked like Daryl had made some friends the short periode of time he had been there. Pat turned his gaze at the freshly dug unmarked grave, he saw a woman standing infront of it, she was slender but had a nice figure, her pale blond hair was braided in a loose braid that hung down her back, he heard her sniffeling and suddenly she fell to her knees into the dirt, he watched as she clutched the dirt. Never in a million years would he guessed that a woman would mourn Daryl. He was always so shy around the ladys, he usually stuck to tending to the horses while the other boys where enjoying the whores at the brothel. He silently walked over to the grave and stoped next to the woman. He stood there silently, he didnt thin the woman had noticed him, but the woman inhaled sharply "if you where here for him, your to late". Pat noticed how her voice where flat but still soft, he had not seen her face, but she was young. "yeah, i heard". The woman slowly got up to her feet "Im sorry for your loss mr" she turned towards him and he stared right into a pair of tear filled sparkeling gray eyes, they looked like diamonds. Pat nodded, who was she to Daryl? "I should probably say the same to you as well miss Lissybeth, right?" The woman nodded, he noticed how her eyes flickered down to his hips eying his pistols and then her orbs where back staring into his, liften her chin a bit, he had to give the young woman credit for the streangth and currage that she radiated "Mr Dixon i presume" she said, and it was the first time he heard a young proper lady speak that name without fear latched to her voice. Pat nodded, he reached out his hand "Patrick, Pat for short" Lissybeth grabed his hand in a firm and suprisingly strong grip and shook his hand "Your his pa? you two look very much alike" Pat only nodded, the sudden lump in his throat made it difficult to talk. Lissy brushed away a tear and stared at the ground "I dont care what they say about him, sir" She sniffled silently "Your son, i mean, he was a good man. Kind, compasionate. He helped me out on the ranch " She lifted her gaze and looked into his eyes again " I was all alone out here when he came, he stayed and helped me with the horses, he could have taken them, but he didnt" her voice became more firm with each word and Pat nodded "Thank ya miss, i apretiate yer kind words" Pat turned his head and let his gaze land on the main house where the marshal and the sherrif was now mounting their horses and riding out. The sun was about to set. "You are welcome to eat supper with us" Pat knew he shouldnt, that he should return to town, gather the boys and ride out, but something stoped him, he was curious about Daryls last days here and the little lady infront of him. He cleared his voice "if its not any trouble miss" Lissybeth noddad, he watched as she gave one more glanze at the shallow grave before she turned and walked up to the house.   
As they walked into the house they where met by two pair of eyes, one woman and a man "Jack, Mary Agnes, this is Patrick Dixon, Daryls pa" Pat saw the man was about to grab for his guns, but he lifted his hands in the air "i aint here to cause any trouble, i heard about my sons passing and wanted to pay my last respect" this made the man sit back and relax a bit, altough his eyes where still on gueard. The other woman in the house gave him a small smile "please have a seat mr. Dixon" He chuged off his jacket and sat down at the end of the table, he grabed his stetson and placed it on his knee, he brushed his brown bangs back on his head, he lifted his gaze and met the young man sitting across from him, he recon the man had to be around Daryls age. Plates where being placed infront of them, and slices of beef, cheese and bread was placed on the table. "Are the rest of your gang lurking around the ranch mr Dixon" the man finally asked and Pat shook his head "no need to worry, i came here alone, two of my brothers men are back in town, we heard rumors that yall had arrested Daryl and was gonna hang him, alot of rumors have been going around, my brother was tired of reaching for straws, so he sent me and two men to check it out, we aint here to stirr things up, im just here to bring back what belongs to me". The woman had now joined them at the table, Lissy slammed her fist down at the table, making all eyes land on her "im not gonna let you take him, his body stays here on my ranch" Pat nodded and touched her small hand for a second "i wouldnt dream of it miss, but i would like his belongings" The womans eyes squinted and she scowled at him "you cant take his horse" the woman was stubborn and she was testing his patience. "His saddlebags?!?" he said, looking just as stubbornly into her eyes, he watched as the woman suddenly stood up, she swayed alittle, he got consearned and was about to get up from his chair, he suddenly noticed how pale she looked but she put her hands up, making it clear she didnt want any help. She marched into the next room and returned with a pair of brown leather saddlebags, she dropped them in his lap "If there is anything in there that mean something to you, then be my guest" she leaned on hand on the table as she was staring at him, he looked into the saddlebags, it was Daryls things alright, the kid never carried much, but these saddlebags wherent the ones he wanted "Ya sure he didnt have another pair of saddlebags?" Lissybeth shook her head " He was barely alive when he rode into my ranch, these bags where the only ones strapped to his saddle" Pat nodded and handed her back the bags, the woman reached out to take them but crashed into the floor before they had the chanse to reackt. "Oh my goodness" the brownhaired woman gasped, and all of them got up. Pat was closest, he leaned over her listened to her breath, he looked up at the two other people "she fainted" he said "where can i put ˋer?" He lifted the limp body up into his arms, she hardly weight more then a feather, the other woman pointed to the next room "You can lay her down in there" Pat nodded and carried her into the bedroom, he placed her gently onto the bed, she pulled off her tightly knotted boots and pulled the covers over her before he walked out and sat back down at the table, the other woman sighed "its been a rough week for her, loosing Daryl and being left alone out here again" Pat cocked his brow and looked qusically at the woman, the man explained " Its only a year since her family was slayed down here on the ranch while she was running earends for her pa, she where the one to find them" he saw the man studying him "your gang havent been around here before?" Pat lifted his hands in the air again "i swear this is the first time i have been around these parts of the montain, my brother aint all that interested in small towns, or small ranches. We keep to the bigger mining towns, or the kettle ranches down south" The man nodded, accepting his answer. Pat grabed some beef and bread and started stuffing his mouth full, after a couple of mouthfull he looked up at the two others who had joined him and where now eating their own food " I noticed the young miss where crying over my sons grave, why?" The man chewed and swallowd "they got close the short periode of time he lived out here on the ranch" Pat nodded, he was yet again surprised that his boy have had the guts to seduce a beautiful woman as miss Lissybeth " He told me on his deathbed that if he was a free man he would have married her" the man said lowly and Pat stared at him with wide eyes, the boy had been serious about her, for some weird reason this fact made him proud. He always knew Daryl was different from the rest of them. Pat nodded, the lump back in his throat almost choking him again, he cleared his throat "they where as good as married then, shes a Dixon too then as far as i care, yall dont have to worry any of the guys will cause any trouble on this ranch, Dixons looks out for their own" Jack scowled at him " we arent worried and we are already doin fine on our own" Pat recognized a threat even if it was served to him at a nice dinner table. He grabed his stetson and placed it on the top of his head "alright, thanks for the food, ill leave ya good folks be and go back into town" He was about to stand up when the woman grabed her husbands hand and spoke up "oh no mr Dixon, its too dangerous for you to ride back to town in the dark, the hills are steep and there is icy spots under the snow, you must spend the night, in the barn that is" the man glared at his wife and this made Pat smirk alittle " thank ya mam, for ya kind offer, ill see my way out myself, good night to yall both" he walked out and over at the barn, he found an empty box full of hay, blankets and a pillow was placed on a roll of hay, he grabed it and rolled it out, the barn was warm enough, he laid down and closed his eyes, he could see why Daryl had wanted to settle down here. It was the perfect place for the boy. A picture of the pale blond woman popped up in his mind, and her fainting infront of them worried him.


	7. Chapter 7

Pat had left the ranch early the next morning, the guys where already waiting on him by the rental stable when he rode into town, eager to go back, Harley and Dan where the two he trusted most out of his brothers gang, they had showed Pat their loyalty to him more then once. They both looked up at him, Pat just shook his head "time to head back guys, he passed four days ago" they both lowered their heads to show Pat their respect before they mounted their horses. After riding in silence for about an houer Dan broke the silence "Did ya find the money?" Pat saw from the crock of his eye that Harley was sending Dan a scowl and Pat sigh, he didnt want the guys to go at eachothers throats right now "There where no signs of the sadle bags, he must have dropped them along the way. We will go back when the snow melts and search for it" The guy seemed relieved with this answer, knowing Will would ride their asses if they didnt return with atleast some notion of where his money had gone. Then Pat suddenly pulled hard on his horses rains, making the horse come to an abrupt stop, he turned in the saddle and faced the two men " Daryl managed to get hitched to a ranchers daughter, who now runs the ranch by her self" Both of the guys whistled and grinned widely "Damn Daryl, the boy moves fast workin on his own" Dan snickered. Pat remembering the consearn he have had for Daryls little lady, she had been acting strange that morning before he left, he had cought her at the back of the house throwing up, she had brushed him off sayin it was just part of her grieving proses, but Pat knew enough to think there where more to it, he looked at Harley "I have a suspicion that Daryl left some belongings back with his grieving widow, from what i read in one of the newspapers in town, i saw she was hiering ranch hands.... I want ya to go back there and tell ˋer yer looking for a job, dont tell ˋer yer riding with the Dixon gang, and keep yer eyes on ˋer for me. Shes a Dixon so yer gonna protect ˋer with yer life" Harley didnt question, he just nodded and turned his horse around and pushed his heals into the horses flanks and took off the oposite direction. Dan on the other hand had a curious nature "what kinda belongings did he leave?" Pat stared at him, his blue eyes growing cold "a kid, but ya keep yer trap shut to Will about it, the kid is better off with his mama after his born, then to run with us, think we owe Daryl that, ya saw how Will treated Daryl when he was a kid" Dan nodded "yeah, me and Harley wanted to step up a bunch of times, but we knew we would be shot for even tryin" Pat nodded, knowing Wills sadistic nature all to well. They continued back over the montain in silence.

Will studied the man sitting across him, the dark haired man they had met right outside Goldencreek met his stare without flinching "And what makes you think that my own brother would cross me?". The man who called him self negan "well his own flesh and blood took off with the money and we have not seen or heard from him since the town burned to the ground, and your brother seemed very eagar to cross the montain to look for him" Negan paused and let the words sink in alittle before he continued " to me it seemes like they planned it out and it wount surprise me if Pat comes back empty handed" Will could feel the blood in his veins start to boil, he was tempted to whipe that smug smile off of the mans face with one of his bullets, no one questioned his blood. His trail of thoughts where interupted when Len came stomping into the parlor "they are back" he announced and both Will and Negan stared at the door expecting four men to walk in. But only two followed Len. Will looked his baby brother over as he stepped in and took a seat at his table, his brother looked like he had been to hell and back, Will pursed his lips and cocked his brow " Did ya find him?" he asked, and he could clearly see how his brother slumped further in to the chair, Pat finally met his blue stare "the rumors where true, but we where to late" Will squinted his eyes, his eyes flickered from Pat to Dan. who looked just as worn and spent, before he directed his eyes back at his baby brother "what? they hang him?" Pat shook his head slightly "he was kept as prisoner in a small town called Blackstone, but the boy died from some kind of infections in the lungs on new years eve, we had just gotten there when we heard they had burried him" Will saw the small grin playing around Negans mouth from the crock of his eye. Will leaned towards his brother "Did ya see his body? Pat shook his head, "he was already in the ground when i got to where they burried him" Will scratched his stubby chin "what about my money?" Will continue to study his brother, the man looked heart broken, but his stare was sturdy and his eyes didnt flicker when he met his darker shade of ble orbs, this pleased Will "i looked through Daryls belongings, but i couldnt find the money, he must have either hid it or dropped it over the montain pass, Harley stayed behind to keep an eye on things, im gonna go back and search the montain as soon the snow melts, its too thick now to find anythin" Will leaned back and nodded, he waved his glass in the air and one of the whores filled his glass. "Go get some rest babybrother, ya ugly mug is scarin the fine woman" Pat didnt answer just got up and walked out of the parlor with Dan following suit. Will turned back to the man sitting across for him, he cocked a brow, silently challenged the man to speak. The man sighed "just remember what i said" Negan said before he too left the room and WIll was left alone with his thoughts. The boy he had raised as his own, his brothers son where dead. His blood started boiling again, the folks of that god damn town had killed him. He was gonna get his revenge, no one stole from a Dixon!

Lissy walked out on the porch, it was mid June and the sun was already high up in the skye. She moved over to a more shaded area, she sat heavely down into a rockingchair. In only six months they had come so far into expanding the ranch. A worker barracks had been built, Mary Agnes and Jackˋs house where nearly done. Her fathers dream was finally in reach, she was so excited, this where the day where they was gonna lead the cattle out and over the hills to a more grassy erea for the summer, she let her gray orbs glide over her ranch, the workers where busy preparing everything, she sighed and thought back on the last six months, the first worker had arrived only a day after they had burried Daryl, and it didnt take long before more came seaking work, they had seen the adds that Jack had put out, now they had around twenty workers on the farm. They had not planed on taking in so meny, but Lissy had told Jack about the money Daryl had left her, and they had spent it wisely, Jack had a good head for buisnes and the ranch where now thriving, Jack had adviced her to not only breed horses but to invest in cattle, they had also bought chickens and pigs, they needed to feed the workers somehow. Mary Agnes and LIssy had been working the garden since early spring, now they had herb beds, a field with potatos and carrots. It was hard work, but Lissy didnt mind, it kept her to buisy to destroy herself with grief. Every night she almost fell asleep during supper and she was gratefull, the night where the worst, the darknes and the silence in the house brought back all the memories. Lissy rubbed her hand over her now strutting belly, Daryl had left her the greatest gift, soon she would be holding his son or daughter in her arms, that thought helped her cope better than anything. "Excuse me miss?" she had been lost in her own head and had not noticed the man stepping up on the porch. She looked up at the bear of a man who where standing infront of her clutching his stetson in his large hands, he had a worried expression on his face, something that had started to be a rutine, Harleys worries grew with her belly. Harley where the first worker they had hired. When he first arrieved at the ranch she had thought he was alittle rough around the edges, very guarded and suspicious in a way. But when it was clear as day that she where pregnant, he had softened up and started fuzzing around her, always consearened about her, helping her with all heavy lifting and always wondering if she was alright. She had also cought him scowling and growling to the other workers if they had given her looks. He had become her own private guard dog. At first she found it a bit weird, but Mary Agnes had convinced her that the man probably had a pregnant wife back in the day, and that the bear of a man was just a hugh softy. "Are ya alright miss?" she sighed and gave him a tired but wide smile, as she pushed herself up from the rocking chair, Harley where right by her side helping her up "everything is fine Harley, im just alittle tired, this little guy" she rubbed her belly loveingly "kept me up most of the night". The rough worker looked at her belly with a hugh grin, it almost looked like the man wanted to touch it " gonna be a strong boy, that one. I can feel it in my bones. Ya just wait and see, before ya know it he will be taming those wild stalions just like his pa did". Lissyˋs eyes snapped up at the big man "how do you know his or her daddy was a horse man?" Harley blushed and shuffled his feet "Iˋm sorry miss, i just assumed yer husban had a good hand with horses, seeing how well cared for the horses where when i started working at yer ranch" Lissys eyes softened and she smiled, this pregnancy made her stir crazy, that was the only explanation, it had almost sounded like Harley knew Daryl, "you are right, he had a special and rare talent with horses". They both looked over to the field surrounding the ranch, where the horses where scattered freely "What did you need Harley?, i know you didnt come over here just to ask if i was alright." Harley kicked at the dirt alittle "No miss, Jack wanted me to tell you that everythin is ready and we will be movin out soon" Lissy smiled and patted the mans arm "Thank you Harley, you all be carefull out there and come back in one piece, you hear!" Harley nodded "Donˋt ya worry miss, weˋll take good care of yer cattle" She smiled up at him "I know you will". Lissy let Harley help her down the few steps onto the ground and she walked over to the herb beds, she spotted some weeds, she slowly got down on her knees and started to pull the weed up. She turned her head when she heard Jack shout out orders to move out and whistles broke the silence, soon all you could see was the dust being pushed up by the eager cattle running out of the gate. Lissy waved the men off, her gaze followed them until she spotted a lone rider up up on the hill staring down at the ranch, she pulled her hand over her eyes to shield her eyes from the harsh sun and to get a better look, it was something so familular with the mans positure up on the horse, it almost reminded her of him. "Daryl" she whispered and scrambled to her feet, she lifted her gaze to the hill, but the man was gone, she scanned frantically the hills surrounding her ranch, but there where no trace of any rider, all she could see was green grass and blue skye, a lone tear slipped down her cheek, she turned and leaned against the fence, the silence was buzzing in her ears, and she felt lightheaded, she held her right hand protectivly around her belly. Suddenly she was embraced into a comforting hug, she leaned heavily into Mary Agnes who where now stroking her hair "shhh, its alright, you will get through this, im here to help you, dont you worry Lissy. Your not alone" Lissy pulled back and sniffled before she whiped her wet cheeks. "I know, its just i miss him so, i swear, this pregnancy is really doing something with my head" Mary Agnes continued to stroke her back "I know Lissy, its only three months left now, things will be better when you can hold your baby in your arms" Lissy nodded. Only three months left, she could do this. She was strong, she was not gonna let some crazy visions push her over the edge, she owed it to her family, to Daryl to keep on going. She looked up at the carved sign over the ranches gates. Two hugh letters, DD, it made her smile, a mild breez brought with it a scent of wild flowers, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply and felt the the promise of prosperity in the air. Life was unpredictable and full of surprises, you never knew what was comming next, and she felt ready for it all.


End file.
